Published online Jan 16, 2015. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.10
Peer-review started: July 30, 2014
First decision: September 16, 2014
Revised: October 20, 2014
Accepted: October 28, 2014
Article in press: December 23, 2014
Published online: January 16, 2015
Processing time: 168 Days and 9.7 Hours
Chronic kidney disease and its worsening are recurring conditions in chronic heart failure (CHF) which are independently associated with poor patient outcome. The heart and kidney share many pathophysiological mechanisms which can determine dysfunction in each organ. Cardiorenal syndrome is the condition in which these two organs negatively affect each other, therefore an accurate evaluation of renal function in the clinical setting of CHF is essential. This review aims to revise the parameters currently used to evaluate renal dysfunction in CHF with particular reference to the usefulness and the limitations of biomarkers in evaluating glomerular dysfunction and tubular damage. Moreover, it is reported the possible utility of renal arterial resistance index (a parameter associated with abnormalities in renal vascular bed) for a better assesment of kidney disfunction.
Core tip: In the clinical setting of chronic heart failure the evaluation of renal dysfunction is essential. This review revises the currently available markers of renal function in chronic heart failure for a better characterization of renal function. Moreover, it is discussed the potential utility of a Doppler derived parameter, the renal resistance index, which is associated with abnormalities in the kidney vascularization.