Objective: The relationship between malnutrition, echocardiographic parameters, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) parameters and decreased insulin sensitivity index (ISI-S) in chronic haemodialysis patients was investigated.
Material and methods: ISI-S and inflammatory indicators were measured. The nutritional state was assessed by malnutrition score. Echocardiography and 24 h ABP were performed 1 day before the second haemodialysis session of the week.
Results: ISI-S was inversely correlated with the night-time mean blood pressure (BP)/day-time mean BP ratio (p = 0.021) and malnutrition score (p < 0.01). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, night-time mean BP/day-time mean BP and vena cava collapse index were independent risk factors affecting ISI-S (p < 0.001; beta = 0.412, p = 0.025; beta = -0.204, p < 0.001; beta = -0.465).
Conclusions: The decrease in ISI-S along with the hypervolaemia suggests that volume overload is a contributory factor in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in patients with chronic renal failure. This study indicates that, in addition to the traditional cardiovascular risk factors in these patients, insulin resistance can be regarded as a risk factor, but not an independent one, mainly a reflection of the underlying culprit, hypervolaemia.