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

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 5, 513 - 517, 27.09.2024

Süleyman Akkaya , Ümit Çakmak

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1519695

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

Ethical Statement

The study was retrospective, single-center, and approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Health Science Of University Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital (Decision Date and Number: 19.09.2023/524). It was performed as per the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Supporting Institution

no

Project Number

no

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