Comparison of pathological electrocardiographic changes between long-term kidney transplant recipients and hemodialysis patients

Authors : Süleyman Akkaya, Ümit Çakmak

Pages : 513-517

Doi:10.32322/jhsm.1519695

View : 74 | Download : 84

Publication Date : 2024-09-27

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aims: We aimed to reveal electrocardiographic changes in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) compared with hemodialysis patients. Methods: We included 70 KTRs who had underwent a kidney transplantation for more than one year and 84 patients who had been on hemodialysis for more than one year. We recorded age, sex, body-mass index (BMI) (kg/m2), primary disease (makes chronic kidney disease) and duration of hemodialysis treatment. Standard measurements such as heart rate (HR), P wave, PR interval, P axis, QRS complex, QRS axis, T axis, QT interval and QTc interval were performed for all electrocardiography (ECG). Results: KTRs were younger than the hemodialysis patients group (HPG) (31.5 vs. 54.5, p<0.001). The female gender was more common in the HPG (54.8% vs. 28.6%, p=0.001). Diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT) were more common in the HPG (21.4% vs. 7.1% and 47.6% vs. 15.7% respectively, p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between KTRs and HPG in terms of heart rate, P axis, P-wave, QRS axis, QRS complex, RR interval, while T axis was higher in HPG (65o vs. 40.5o, p=0.001), PR interval was longer in HPG (152 msec vs 144 msec, p=0.020), QT interval was longer in HPG (385 msec vs 360 msec, p<0.001), QTc was longer in HPG (463 msec vs 415.5 msec, p<0.001). Conclusion: In the long term after kidney transplantation, improvement of ECG pathologies such as prolonged QT and abnormal T axis seen in HPG may be the result of an improved uremic milieu and reduced inflammation in KTRs.
Keywords : Kidney transplant recipient, hemodialysis, prolonged QT