Valvular heart disease in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis

Valvular heart disease is a common phenomenon in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Abnormalities include valvular and annular thickening and calcification of any of the heart valves, causing regurgitation and/or stenosis. Valvular thickening or sclerosis in patients undergoing chronic dialysis treatment usually affects the aortic and mitral valve. Aortic valve calcification is recorded in up to a half of hemodialyzed patients, occurring from 10 to 20 years earlier than in the general population. Valvular regurgitation occurs mostly in mitral, tricuspid and less commonly in aortic valve. The aim of the article was to determine the incidence of valvular heart disease in asymptomatic patients undergoing chronic dialysis.The analysis involves a total of 50 patients, of whom 35 (70%) are treated by hemodialysis and 15 (30%) by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Valvular thickening or sclerosis was diagnosed in 20 (40%) patients. Sclerosis of mitral cusps was diagnosed in 9 (18%) patients and sclerosis of aortic cusps was diagnosed in 11 (22%) patients. Heart valve calcifications were diagnosed in 12 (31%) patients. Mild aortic stenosis was present in 3 (6%) patients. Mitral regurgitation was diagnosed in 38 (76%) patients, aortic regurgitation in 14 (28%), and tricuspid regurgitation in 24 (48%) patients.The evaluation of the valve apparatus for all patients undergoing chronic dialysis program requires echocardiographic examination that is to be performed, considering the high prevalence of valvular heart diseases.