Two years of maintenance hemodialysis has a pronounced effect on arterial stiffness progression.

Abstract

The change of aortic stiffness, but not the particular baseline value, plays a crucial role in estimating the patient risk with end-stage renal disease. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the evolution of central and peripheral arterial stiffness in hemodialysis population without previous cardiovascular events during a 2-year follow-up. 60 hemodialysis patients (mean age 57.61 ± 13.01years) were prospectively interviewed, and they underwent blood tests, chest X-ray for aortic calcification evaluation and pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements at the baseline, after 6months and after 2years of observation period. We found significant progression of aortic PWV (12.73 vs. 14.24m/s, p = 0.032) and regression of brachial PWV (11.53 vs. 8.85m/s, p < 0.001). CRP increase influenced evolution of aortic PWV (β = 0.331, p = 0.031, R2 = 0.599). Higher β2-microglobulin values was related to the progression of aortic PWV (β = 0.219, p = 0.022, R2 = 0.568). Mean arterial blood pressure had influence only on the short-term arterial stiffness evolution. Patients on maintenance hemodialysis experience pronounced changes of arterial stiffness during the 2-year follow-up period. The progression of aortic stiffness is related to inflammatory response and particularly is influenced by β2-microglobulin concentration and aortic calcification.