Abstract
Background and objectives: Vascular calcification (VC) is one of the factors associated with mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The purpose of the study was to assess associations between prevalent VC and disturbances of calcium-phosphate metabolism as well as changes in vitamin D (25(OH)D), FGF 23 and MGP levels and to evaluate the possible impact of VC and changes of these biomarkers on survival in HD patients.
Methods: The study population consisted of 81 prevalent patients in the hemodialysis unit of Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics. A simple vascular calcification score (SVCS) was evaluated as it is described by Adragao et al. 25(OH)D (nmol/L), FGF 23 (ng/L) and MGP (ng/mL) were measured and analysed.
Results: Patients were divided into two groups: SVCS<3 (31 patient (38.3%) and SVCS ≥3 (50 patients (61.7%)). In multivariate logistic regression, age (odds ratio 1.062, 95% CI [1.024-1.1] p=0.001) and diabetes (odds ratio 6.9, 95% CI [1.5-31], p=0.012) were associated with SVCS ≥3. The multivariate logistic regression revealed the highest negative impact of SVCS ≥3, age and 25(OH)D level for death risk.
Conclusion: VC in HD patients is highly influenced by age and presence of diabetes and associated with higher risk of death. No significant association was found between MGP and FGF 23 and VC as well as between these two biomarkers and risk of death. Lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with mortality in this dialysis patients cohort.