Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Its Correlates in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to determine the prevalence of LVH in CKD patients as well as the risk factors for LVH in these patients, especially those with early CKD, using echocardiography. One hundred and fifty patients with CKD attending the medical clinics of a Nigerian tertiary hospital were studied. Seventy-five healthy controls, matched for age sex and body mass index were also recruited. Clinical and laboratory parameters as well as echocardiographic indices were measured. LVH was present in 76% of the patients and 6.7% of the controls. Anemia was found in 81.3% of patients and was most severe in patients with end-stage kidney disease of which 87% had anemia. Mean arterial pressure and eGFR were identified as predictors of LVH among the patients with SBP being the sole predictor of LVH in patients with CKD stage 3. This study shows a high prevalence of LVH in CKD patients and a strong relationship between CKD and LVH. The isolation of SBP as the sole predictor of LVH in patients in CKD stage 3 underscores the need for aggressive control of hypertension in these patients.