Relationship between Extracellular Water Fraction of Total Body Water Estimated by Bioimpedance Spectroscopy and Cardiac Troponin T in Chronic Haemodialysis Patients

Background/Aims: The ratio of extracellular water to total body water (ECW/TBW) estimated by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) may be a useful volume index in haemodialysis (HD) patients, but its direct relation to cardiovascular (CV) outcomes has been rarely evaluated. Methods: We investigated the relationship between ECW/TBW by BIS and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) level, a biochemical surrogate of CV mortality. Results: Seventy-four HD patients without ischemic heart disease (age 51.6 ± 13.2 years; male:female ratio 36:38; diabetes 37.8%) were recruited. Post-HD ECW/TBW was positively correlated to log cTnT levels (r = 0.60, p < 0.01). In multivariate regression models, male sex (β = 0.23, p = 0.03), diabetes mellitus (β = 0.21, p = 0.04), log high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (β = 0.21, p = 0.04) and post-HD ECW/TBW (β = 0.37, p < 0.01) were independent risk factors for elevated log cTnT levels. Conclusion: Post-HD ECW/TBW by BIS is worthy of further evaluation as a pathophysiological index for reducing CV mortality in HD patients.