Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center say that contrary to conventional thinking, a kidney transplant can significantly improve the heart function of people on dialysis with a serious form of heart failure. In a study published in the April 5, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers found that a majority of patients who had systolic heart failure, in which the heart's left ventricle was weak and not pumping blood efficiently, had a dramatic recovery after their kidney transplant.

"These findings are contrary to conventional thinking that a kidney transplant may put additional strain on the hearts of patients with systolic heart failure," says the lead author of the study, Ravinder K. Wali, M.D., a nephrologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We were surprised to find that, in fact, many of those people with severe heart failure had striking improvement in terms of cardiac function after a kidney transplant."

Dr. Wali adds, "Our study also found that systolic heart failure was more likely to be reversed if patients received a transplant soon after they began dialysis to treat their kidney failure."

The study followed 103 patients between June 1998 and November 2002. Prior to their transplant, all of the patients had congestive heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40 percent or less. The ejection fraction is a measure of the ability of the heart to pump blood. In the normal ejection fraction, the heart is capable of pumping more than 55 percent of the blood volume in the ventricle. The researchers assessed the heart's pumping ability of the patients at six and 12 months and at a later follow-up visit after successful transplantation.

Overall, after a kidney transplant, the heart's pumping ability improved in more than 86 percent of the patients. For
'"/>

Contact: Bill Seiler
bseiler@umm.edu
410-328-8919
University of Maryland Medical Center
5-Apr-2005

Page: 1 2 3
Related medicine news :

1. Study, meta-analysis examine factors associated with death from heatstroke
2. Study says COPD testing is not measuring up
3. Study suggests loss of 2 types of neurons -- not just 1 -- triggers Parkinsons symptoms
4. Study reveals gaps in vaccine financing for underinsured children
5. Study suggests nonpharmaceutical interventions may be helpful in severe influenza outbreaks
6. Study shows radiofrequency ablation highly effective in treating kidney tumors
7. Study says normal but out-of-control enzyme may be culprit that signals some cells to become cancer
8. Study finds HIV protease inhibitor drugs may adversely affect the scaffolding of the cell nucleus
9. Study outlines how stroke, head injury can increase risk of Alzheimers disease
10. Study identifies new regulator of fat metabolism
11. Study shows Diachrome improves blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes