Objective Left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH)is one of the most important risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with chronic renal failure. We investigated the LVH and left ventricular function in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Methods One hundred and ten patients［male 57,female 53;mean age (53.5±10.9) years］ with CRF were enrolled in this study. There were 56 patients with maintenance hemodialysis and 54 patients with predialysis phase of CRF.Left ventriculan end diastolia dimension (LVEDD), IVS,PWTH and EF values were detected by echocardiography in all patients, and the left ventricular mass index(LVMI) was calculated in the same time. Results There were 78 patients (70.9%) with LVH ［LVMI (182.56±52.9)g/m2］， 32.97% with enlarged LVEDD （50.03 ± 5.39）mm， 61.8% with increased IVS (12.14±1.55)mm, 60.9% with increased PWT(11.83±1.52)mm，19.1% with decreased EF(60.49±10.54%). The LVH was more severe in hemodialytic patients than in those predialytic patients ［LVMI: (220.79±53.41) VS (145.69 ± 32.27), P<0.0001］. Conclusion LVH and decreased heart function was detected in most CRF patients, including those predialytic patients. Screening by echocardiography should be used to monitor and evaluate cardiac function in patients with CRF. It would be helpful to determine the optimal dialytic initiation time, and to improve the prognosis of CRF patients. 