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.
A high abdominal aortic calcification score by dual X-ray absorptiometry is associated with cardiovascular events after kidney transplantation