POLYTRANSFUSED HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS SUBSTITUTED WITH ERYTHROPOIETIN - AN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION

Patients on maintenance hemodialysis frequently suffer from cardiomegaly and reduced cardiac work capacity, partially due to renal anemia. We investigated changes in echocardiographic indices in 8 polytransfused patients substituted with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO). A decrease in mean end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular diameters and volumes was observed. Myocardial wall thickness as well as the diameters of both atria and of the right ventricle were not altered. Left ventricular mass decreased. Stroke volume and cardiac output did not change. Ejection fraction and fractional fiber shortening increased. Our study demonstrates that therapy of severe renal anemia with erythropoietin results in the reduction of global heart size due to a decrease of left ventricular size and in an improved myocardial contractility.