Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2020 , Vol 23, Issue 1
EVALUATION OF EPICARDIAL FAT AND CAROTID AND FEMORAL INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESSES IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE
Aylin GÜNEŞLI1, Mustafa YILMAZ2, Çiğdem YALÇIN1, Nihan TEKKARIŞMAZ3, Özlem ALKAN1
1Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Adana, TURKEY
2Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Adana, TURKEY
3Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Adana, TURKEY
DOI : 10.31086/tjgeri.2020.136 Introduction: Although atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risks are known to increase in patients with end-stage renal disease, it is not clear whether these risks increase in the geriatric patient population as well. This study aims to evaluate these risks in geriatric patients with end-stage renal disease by evaluating epicardial fat and carotid and femoral intima-media thicknesses, known as markers, for subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risks.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 52 patients who started to receive chronic hemodialysis treatment after the age of 65 years (mean age 73.92±5.63) years with end-stage renal failure and 51 healthy volunteers (mean age: 74.49±4.63 years). Epicardial fat and carotid and femoral intima-media thicknesses were measured and compared between these groups.

Results: Carotid intima-media and epicardial fat thicknesses were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (0.91±0.08 vs. 0.71±0.1 mm, p<0.001 and 0.84±0.17 vs. 0.75±0.17 cm, p=0.01, respectively). However, no significant difference was observed in femoral intima-media thickness between the two groups (0.58±0.07 vs. 0.56±0.97 mm, p=0.266). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the duration of dialysis and epicardial fat and carotid intima-media thicknesses (r=0.611, p<0.001 and r=0.337, p=0.015, respectively). Furthermore, regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between the duration of dialysis and carotid intima-media thickness (?=0.657, p=0.001).

Conclusion: Epicardial fat and carotid intima-media thicknesses increase in geriatric patients with end-stage renal disease but with no significant changes in femoral intima-media thickness, indirectly suggesting that subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risks are increased in these patients. Keywords : Atherosclerosis; Echocardiography; Kidney disease; Ultrasonography