Influence of educational level on myocardial hypertrophy of hemodialysis patients

• Published in: Jornal brasileiro de nefrologia : 'orgao oficial de Sociedades Brasileira e Latino-Americana de Nefrologia Vol. 32; no. 1; p. 69
• Main Authors: Martin, Rosana Dos Santos E Silva, Franco, Roberto Jorge da Silva, Matsubara, Beatriz Bojikian, Zanati, Silméia Garcia, Barretti, Pasqual, Martin, Luis Cuadrado, Balbi, André Luis, Antunes, Aline Araújo, Martins, Antônio Sérgio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01-03-2010
• Subjects: Cardiomegaly - epidemiology; Cardiomegaly - etiology; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Hypertension - complications; Kidney Failure, Chronic - complications; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Renal Dialysis
• ISSN: 2175-8239

Chronic renal disease is associated with a high cardiovascular risk. Data from the general population associate cardiovascular diseases with low educational level, but no study has evaluated this association in patients on hemodialysis.
This study aimed at evaluating the association between educational level, hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy in patients on chronic hemodialysis.
A standard socioeconomic questionnaire was applied to 79 hemodialysis patients at the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, state of São Paulo. Clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic data were obtained from medical records. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median educational level, as follows: G1, patients with three or less years of schooling; G2, patients with more than three years of schooling.
Blood pressure, interdialytic weight gain, and variables statistically different in the two groups (p < 0.2) underwent multiple analysis. Independent associations were stated with p < 0.05 in multiple analysis. The mean age of patients was 57 ± 12.8 years, 46 were males (57%), and 53 white (67%). The variables selected for multiple analysis were: age (p = 0.004); educational level (p < 0.0001); body mass index (p = 0.124); left ventricular diameter (p = 0.048); and left ventricular mass index (p = 0.006). Antihypertensive drugs were similar in both groups. Systolic blood pressure (p = 0.006) and years of schooling (p = 0.047) had a significant and independent correlation with left ventricular mass index.
In hemodialysis patients, left ventricular mass associated not only with blood pressure but also with educational level.