Hyperoxic cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity is impaired in patients with chronic kidney disease: The CHIPREFAIL-Study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a remarkable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac death. Most patients with CKD die from acute cardiovascular events. In patients with underlying heart disease an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system resulting in a rise of sympathetic tone can initiate both, acute cardiac ischemia as well as primary arrhythmic events. Hyperoxic cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity (hcCRS) is a simple but powerful clinical test to analyse autonomic nervous system function. It describes a heart rate decrease in response to an increase of blood oxygen content. The aim…