[The usefulness of echocardiography in prospective heart function evaluation in children on maintenance haemodialysis].

Echocardiography evaluation of heart systolic and diastolic function is applied in monitoring of cardiovascular changes in end-stage renal disease children on maintenance haemodialysis. The aim of the study was the comparison of cardiac cavities diameters and heart walls thickness changes, as well as, indices of left ventricle (LV) function in 12 end-stage renal disease children before and after haemodialysis session, before (initial examination) and after half-year duration of maintenance haemodialysis treatment (control examination). In 5 dialysed children the comparison of above-mentioned parameters was done after 3 years of maintenance haemodialysis duration. In both examinations significant increase of relative wall thickness (RWT) of LV without the features of asymmetric hypertrophy and decrease of left atrium transverse diameter after haemodialysis session was noted. There was no progression of LV hypertrophy during the six months and three years of treatment. After 3 years of maintenance haemodialysis duration significant decrease of LV mass index was revealed in examined children. There was no significant change of cardiac cavity diameters and indices of LV function during the time of observation.