Fluid overload and cardiac dysfunction is well established in hemodialysis patients. But in predialysis chronic kidney disease, the association of fluid overload and cardiac dysfunction is relatively unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between fluid overload and cardiac dysfunction in predialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

We enrolled 107 consecutive patients in our study. Fluid overload was assessed via body composition monitor. Patients were dichotomized according to the fluid overload status. The patients with FO<1.1L were determined as normovolemic and those with FO≥1.1L as hypervolemic according to the previously reported physiologic model. Left atrial volume index (LAVI), left ventricular end-diastolic–end-systolic index (LVEDVI, LVESVI), E/e’, LVMI and global longitudinal left ventricular left ventricular strain (GLS-%) were evaluated in each patient as markers of cardiac dysfunction. Arterial stiffness was also assessed by Mobil-O-Graph^® 24h pulse wave analysis monitor and pWV values were recorded.

Fifty-five patients were normovolemic and 52 patients were hypervolemic. LAVI, LVMI, LDEDVI, LVEDSVI, E/e’ were increased in hypervolemic patients. Also in hypervolemic patients pulse wave velocity was increased and GLS was decreased. Multivariate analysis showed that FO was independently associated with GLS which is the most specific echo-parameter for left ventricular dysfunction.

FO was independently associated with cardiac dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease not ongoing dialysis. Effective treatment of hypervolemia may be important in these patients to avoid further cardiac damage.