Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular calcification, including arterial intimal and medial calcification (AIC and AMC) and valvular calcification (VC) are important predictors of outcome in chronic dialysis patients. We aimed to compare their prevalence and analyze respective risk factors in hemodialysis (HD) patients.Methods: A total of 81 HD patients were enrolled. Vascular calcification was assessed by plain film radiography of the pelvis and VC was diagnosed by echocardiography. Demographic data was reviewed and serum levels of calcification-relevant biomarkers were determined. Patients with and without calcification were then compared.Results: The prevalence study indicated that 36 patients had AIC (44.4%), 17 had AMC (21%) and 60 (74.1%) had VC. Patients with vascular calcification were older, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes. Their IL-6, osteoprotegerin, and uric acid levels were higher. Serum fetuin-A was lower in patients with VC. Logistic regression analysis revealed age, uric acid and diabetes to be independently associated with AIC; uric acid, diabetes and osteoprotegerin with AMC. Fetuin-A was the sole associate of VC.Conclusions: It is concluded that the prevalence of cardiovascular calcification in chronic HD patients was high with cardiac valve involvement more frequent. Factors associated with different type of calcification were not identical. Changes in biomarkers may represent clinical clues for assessment of cardiovascular calcification in HD patients.
Highlights
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in chronic dialysis patients
We aim to investigate the distribution of vascular calcification and valvular calcification (VC) in hemodialysis patients
It was estimated that 77.7% and 76.4% of arterial intimal calcification (AIC) and arterial medial calcification (AMC) patients, respectively, had VC
Summary
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in chronic dialysis patients. The underlying diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, advanced age, and chronic inflammation are all strongly related to survival in the dialysis population [1]. Both the presence as well as the extent of cardiovascular calcification has been demonstrated to be predictors of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in dialysis patients [2,3]. Patients with vascular calcification were older, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes Their IL-6, osteoprotegerin, and uric acid levels were higher. Changes in biomarkers may represent clinical clues for assessment of cardiovascular calcification in HD patients
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