The absence of nocturnal fall in blood pressure (BP) is named as nondipper status, which has been shown to be an additional risk factor for the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiovascular events in several high-risk groups. The aim of this study was to determine the influences of the nondipper status and nocturnal blood pressure loads on left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in renal transplant recipients. A total of 35 nondiabetic renal transplant recipients were included into the study. A 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed for all recipients. The nondipper status was defined as either an increase in night-time mean arterial pressure (MAP) or a decrease of no more than 10% of daytime MAP. LVMI was measured by using two-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiography. The night-time systolic blood pressure (SBP) load was defined as the percentage of the time, during which SBP exceeded 125 mmHg during night time. The nondipping was common among renal transplant recipients, of whom 60% were nondipper in our study. LVMI was significantly higher in the nondipper group vs the dipper group (133 7 35 g/m 2 vs 109 7 26 g/m 2 , P ¼ 0.04). A fall in MAP at night time was 14.5 7 4.3% in the dipper group, while it was 1.4 7 6.1% in the nondipper group (Po0.001). On stepwise multiple regression analysis, night-time SBP load and haemoglobin were independent predictors of LVMI (R 2 ¼ 0.53).In conclusion, nondipping is common after renal transplantation. Night-time SBP load and low haemoglobin are closely related to the increase in LVMI in renal transplant recipients. ABPM may be a more useful tool in optimizing treatment strategies to reduce cardiovascular events in renal transplant recipients.

Background. Patients with end-stage renal disease have a high risk of premature death, which is due mainly to cardiovascular (CV) events. Elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is related to increased left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and predicts poor outcome in chronic haemodialysis patients. We investigated the prognostic value of cTnT and its relationship with left ventricular mass in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Methods. Sixty-five CAPD patients (mean age: 56±12 years; 36% males) with no evidence of acute coronary syndrome in 28 days prior to the study were examined prospectively. After 48 months of follow-up, we evaluated total and CV mortality. Results. During follow-up, 23 patients (35%) died (70% CV causes, 22% infection, 4% tumour, 4% unknown). In univariate analysis, concentrations of cTnT !0.035 ng/ml, increased LVMI, diabetes, serum albumin and age were all strong predictors of total mortality. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, cTnT !0.035 ng/ml and age independently predicted total mortality [odds ratio (OR): 4.31; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.16-16.04; P ¼ 0.008 and OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02-1.15; P ¼ 0.002, respectively]. cTnT level !0.035 ng/ml was the only independent predictor of CV mortality in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR: 8.94; 95% CI: 2.23-35.88; P<0.005). There was a significant positive correlation between serum cTnT level and LVMI ( ¼ 0.41; P<0.002). Neither cTnI, CK nor CK-MB were related to total or CV mortality.Conclusions. Elevated serum cTnT but not cTnI predicted total and CV mortality in CAPD patients. Elevated cTnT levels were also associated with increased LVMI.

Hypervolaemia, identified by IVC index and CI, and anaemia contribute independently to LV geometry in CAPD patients. Echocardiography as a non-invasive tool is not only useful to determine LV geometry, but also to assess the volume status of CAPD patients.

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We measured urinary activity of leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2) and creatinine concentrations (Cr, in mmol) in samples of second morning urine from 25 healthy subjects and 59 non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDD) subjects. If NIDD subjects are grouped according to their Alb/Cr ratio into nor-moalbuminuria (group A, Alb/Cr < 2.8 mg/mmol), microalbuminuria (group B, Alb/Cr 2.8-26.8 mg/mmol), and macroalbuminuria (group C, Alb/Cr > 26.8 mg/mmol), LAP/Cr ratios in all three groups exceeded those for healthy age-matched controls. Moreover, this ratio was higher in group B than in group A. The value for LAP/Cr was clearly abnormal (i.e., exceeded the upper limit of normal, log normal + 2 SD, found in healthy subjects) in 44% of group A. In the first 10-year period of NIDD, prevalance of abnormal LAP/Cr ratio was 61.3%, whereas that of microalbuminuria was 35.5%. We have also found a LAP/Cr ratio abnormality of 91% in group B. Evidently, LAP/Cr may be increased early in NIDD subjects and be a more sensitive predictor of incipient nephropathy than microalbuminuria.