Peritoneal dialysis as compared with hemodialysis is associated with higher overhydration but non-inferior blood pressure control and heart function.

Background/aims: Fluid overload is an important factor causing cardiovascular complications in dialysis patients. We compared fluid status, blood pressure (BP) and heart function between peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: We recruited 94 PD and 75 HD patients in our hospital.

Predictive value of predischarge spectral tissue doppler echocardiography and n-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.

Background: Admission for an acute heart failure (HF) confers an extremely poor prognosis. We aimed at finding out whether simultaneous assessment of multiple plasma-based biomarkers and Doppler echocardiography could provide complementary information and thus enable clinicians to stratify risk more effectively among patients hospitalized with acute HF; hence, untoward events after discharge avoided.

Methods: A comprehensive echocardiographic study and measurements of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic protein (NT-proBNP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were conducted in 87 patients with symptomatic de novo acute HF or decompensation of chronic HF.