ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2006; 23 (1): 3-7

   Original article

Hamid Nasri

Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Iran

     SUMMARY

    The aim of the study was to investigate the potential relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and fraction with serum leptin in end-stage renal failure patients undergoing regular hemodialysis treatment. A cross-sectional study included 41 patients (15 women, 26 men) with an end-stage renal disease (ESRD), undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) treatment with acetate basis dialysate and polysulfone membranes. Serum leptin and predialysis creatinine and post- and predialysis BUN, calcium (Ca), phosphorus(P), serum albumin (Alb) and serum ferritin were in the patients categorized into no LVH, mild, moderate and severe LVH, according to the performed echocardiographies. The mean patients' age was 46 (±17.6) years. The average hemodialysis duration was 29.5 (±34) months (median: 18 months). The mean serum leptin was 9.5±13.8 ng/ml (median: 4.7 ng/ml). In this study, no significant association between stages of LVH with serum leptin was recorded. Also, a significant positive correlation between LV ejection fraction and logarithm of serum leptin (r=0.32, p=0.048) (adjusted to age, duration and doses of dialysis, BMI, DM, serum ferritin, calcium, phosphorus, and serum Alb) was observed. Leptin might not be an aggravator for the appearance of LV hypertrophy. This feature of leptin in maintenance hemodialysis patients, which is in contrast to general population, especially in obese patients with normal renal function, could be explained through its reverse epidemiological role in hemodialysis patients. Our results emphasize the importance of leptin in hemodialysis and clinical impact of these findings on further investigation.

    Key words: leptin, hemodialysis, left ventricular hypertrophy, end stage renal failure