Analysis of changes of serum sclerostin in uremic patients and its correlation with vascular calcification

Abstract

Objective To analyze the changes of serum sclerostin in uremic patients and its correlation with vascular calcification. Methods Forty-five uremic patients who had been admitted to the hospital between March 2016 and March 2018 were selected as the observation group, and 45 healthy subjects after taking cardiac ultrasound and abdominal plain radiograph examination in the hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. All patients enrolled received general data investigations and examinations of clinical indicators including calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), albumin (ALB), total cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), intact parathyroid hormone (IPTH), and serum sclerostin, and abdominal X-ray examination was performed on all patients to determine the degree of vascular calcification. Results The main primary disease in uremic patients in the hospital was metabolic disease. There was no significant difference between the two groups in gender and body mass index (P<0.05). The levels of ALB, TG, LDL, HDL, Ca and Mg in the uremic patients were all lower than those in the control group.The CHOL, incidence of calcification, iPTH, P, serum sclerostin, and vascular calcification in the uremic patients were all higher than those in the control group, where the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Older age, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and longer dialysis time were the main causes of high levels of serum sclerostin in uremic patients. The lower the level of serum sclerostin, the higher the levels of CHOL, LDL, iPTH and P. The lower the levels of ALB, Ca and Mg, the higher the degree of vascular calcification; the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). The level of serum sclerostin in uremic patients was negatively correlated with age, iPTH, P, degree of vascular calcification, and positively correlated with the level of ALB and Mg(P<0.05). Conclusions Vascular calcification is prevalent and severe in patients with uremia. The high level of serum sclerostin in uremic patients might be associated with the degree of vascular calcification. Serum sclerostin may serve as a new and important indicator of vascular calcification and bone turnover in uremic patients. Key words: Uremia; Glycoproteins; Vascular Calcification