Background: Chronic renal failure is a devastating disease facing children, with several life-threatening complications, where cardiovascular diseases are on top of them.
Aim of the work: To evaluate cardiac affection in children with chronic renal failure through echocardiography, ECG & high sensitivity troponin I level.
Methods: A case-control study which included 40 children/adolescents aged 2-14 years with CRF and 20 apparently healthy subjects from age matched population as a control.
Results: Regarding echo parameters, LVEDD & LVESD were significantly increased in cases compared to controls (P-value < 0.001) and in hemodialysis cases compared to conservative cases (P-value = 0.011 & 0.03 respectively). EF and FS were significantly decreased in cases compared to controls (P-value = 0.029 & 0.036 respectively), and among hemodialysis cases compared to conservative cases (P-value <0.001). Impaired diastolic function was found in 20 cases (50%), and impaired systolic function was found in 9 cases (22.5%). Regarding ECG findings, QRS duration, QRS amplitude & QTc values were significantly higher in cases compared to controls (P-value = 0.008, <0.001 & 0.036 respectively), and among hemodialysis cases compared to conservative cases (P-value <0.001, <0.001 & 0.04 respectively). Regarding hs-cTnI level, 8 cases were positive, no positive subjects in controls, and there was no significant difference between cases and controls (P-value = 0.08) or between hemodialysis cases and conservative cases (P-value = 0.171).
Conclusion: CRF in pediatrics is associated with a highly prevailing LVH, systolic/diastolic dysfunction, prolonged QTc with no significant elevation of troponin I level.