[Correlation between the inferior vena cava collapsibility and asymptomatic pericardial effusion in hemodialysis patients].

Introduction: The inferior vena cava collapsibility index is a sign of hypervolemia in hemodialysis patients. Asymptomatic pericardial effusion in these patients can be either a sign of hypervolemia or bad systolic function of the left ventricle, or both. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of asymptomatic pericardial effusion and its correlation to collapsibility index in haemodialysis patients during 2-year follow-up.

[Dilated cardiomyopathy associated with autoimmune disease of thyroid gland].

Congestive heart failure is the main cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with more than one million hospitalizations per year. Dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the main causes of congestive heart failure characterized by diminished function of the left, right or both ventricles and ejection fraction less than 40%. Numerous studies reported that the diseases of thyroid gland among the patients with dilated cardiomiopathy were very frequent: with prevalence from 18% to 49%.