Abstract

The presence of ventricular late potentials (VLP) was detected in high-resolution ECG in 9 (22.5%) out of 40 chronically dialysed (cd) patients in the course of end-stage renal failure (esrf). Echocardiography performed in these 9 patients (group A) only revealed a significantly lower E wave deceleration when compared with the remaining cd subjects (group B). After one year of further therapy with dialysis, patients with VLP differed from persons qualified to group B with significantly greater dilation and hypertrophy of left ventricle as well as significantly more damaged left ventricular systolic function (mVcf). During the year, group A displayed increase of calcifications in the heart and the manifestation of regressive flow through valves, there were also more frequent cardiological deaths. High-resolution ECG and echocardiography performed simultaneously in cd patients may be useful for the prognosis of further disease development in these subjects.

Keywords: ventricular late potentials, left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, myocardial calcifications, regurgitation waves through valves, Dialysis