Abstract
Background: In chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, vascular calcification occurs in the early stage of CKD, before the titer of existing CKD mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD)-related markers exceed the threshold. Calciprotein particles (CPPs) are crystals in which excessive phosphorus and calcium in the blood form colloidal particles and are associated with vascular calcification. However, it is unknown whether CPPs are a more sensitive marker for detecting calcification than others.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study of 58 patients with CKD we examined CKD-MBD markers, including CPPs. Vascular arterial calcification score (ACS) of the lower extremities was measured with the Agatston score. One year later, the markers and ACS were reevaluated, and the relationship between the degree of progression of vascular calcification and CKD-MBD markers was evaluated.
Results: The CPP titer was significantly correlated with that of serum phosphate and corrected calcium. However, the CPP titer showed no correlation with eGFR or ACS in the lower extremities. After one year, the basic titers of serum creatinine, eGFR, FGF-23, intact-PHT, 1.25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and CPP were not significantly correlated with ACS changes in the lower extremities. There was a significant correlation between the rate of change in ACS and that in CPP (r = 0.292, p = 0.0258). CPP was an independent risk factor for the progression of calcification in the lower extremities in a multivariate analysis (p = 0.0144).
Conclusions: CPP is a more sensitive marker of arterial calcification than other CKD-MBD markers in patients with CKD.
Key words: Calciprotein particle, Chronic kidney disease, Vascular calcification