Presence of Abdominal Aortic Calcification Is Significantly Associated With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract Background and Aims Vascular calcification is the risk factor for cardiovascular event, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. We investigated the effects of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) progression on outcomes in MHD patients. Method 111 patients who were on MHD between Jun. 2014 and Oct. 2014 in the dialysis center and finished the AAC examination at baseline and two years later were included prospectively. We evaluated the progression of AAC by AAC score (AACs) at baseline and two years later. According to the change of AACs, the patients were divided into rapid AAC progression group (change of AACs>median) and non-rapid AAC progression group (change of AACs≤median). We investigated the effects of AAC progression on outcomes in MHD patients in the follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare their survival rate. Uni- and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to determine the risk factors of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events. Results The presence of AAC was 78.4% (87/111), rapid AAC progression was seen in 54 patients, and non-rapid AAC progression was seen in 57 patients. The mean follow-up duration was 27.9(27.1, 28.0) months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in rapid AAC progression group had a higher risk of mortality as compared to patients in non-rapid AAC progression group (P=0.017). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that high baseline AACs (HR=1.135, 95%CI∼1.001∼1.286, P=0.048), hypoproteinemia (HR=0.789, 95%CI 0.640∼0.972, P=0.026) were independent risk factors for all-cause mortality. High baseline AACs (HR=1.187, 95%CI 1.038∼1.356, P=0.012), low spKt/V (HR=0.103, 95%CI 0.013∼0.801, P=0.030) were independent risk factors for cardiovascular mortality. Low spKt/V (HR=0.018, 95%CI 0.003∼0.115, P=0.000), hypoproteinemia (HR=0.736, 95%CI 0.608∼0.890, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for cardiovascular events. Conclusion Abdominal aortic calcification progression may increase the risk of cardiovascular events and death in MHD patients. Severity of abdominal aortic calcification, adequacy of dialysis, and nutritional status are predictors of outcomes in MHD patients.

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Osteocalcin and Abdominal Aortic Calcification in Hemodialysis Patients: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Frontiers in Endocrinology ◽

10.3389/fendo.2021.620350 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Fengyu Jia ◽

Suxia Wang ◽

Ying Jing ◽

Hanhui Zhao ◽

Peng Rong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vascular Calcification ◽

Negative Correlation ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Aortic Calcification ◽

Maintenance Hemodialysis ◽

Abdominal Aortic Calcification ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Abdominal Aortic

ObjectivesTo investigate the serum level of osteocalcin (OC), also known as bone Gla protein, in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and its correlation with abdominal aortic calcification (AAC).MethodsFrom July 2017 to February 2020, we enrolled 108 adult MHD patients. Routine fasting blood laboratory tests were performed before the start of the second hemodialysis in a week. Abdominal aortic calcification score (AACs) was assessed within 1 month. Pearson correlation and Logistic regression were used to analyze the data.ResultsThe OC level was 231.56 (25.92,361.33) ng/ml, elevating significantly in this group of MHD patients. It had a positive correlation with serum phosphorus (r = 0.511, P = 0.001), intact parathyroid hormone(iPTH) (r = 0.594, P = 0.0001), fibroblast growth factor 23(FGF23) (r = 0.485, P = 0.003) and a negative correlation with age(r = -0.356, P = 0.039). Based on the AACs, patients were divided into two groups. Serum OC level were higher in patients with AACs≥5 (p=0.032). A multiple logistics regression analysis revealed that age (odds ratio [OR]1.14, P=0.005) and OC(OR=1.10, P=0.008)were risk factors for high AACs(≥5).ConclusionThe study implicated that OC elevated significantly in this group of MHD patients.OC is positively correlated with phosphorus, iPTH, FGF23, and a negative correlation with age. OC was a risk factor for vascular calcification in this study, but this study did not classify osteocalcin as c-OC and unOC. Whether unOC is associated more directly with vascular calcification requires further study.

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