Association of calcium channel blockers and mortality in haemodialysis patients.
Patients with end-stage renal disease show disturbances of calcium metabolism, including calcification of arterial walls. Such patients show increased mortality, in particular due to increased cardiovascular-associated deaths. The association of calcium channel blockers and mortality in patients undergoing haemodialysis was investigated. A total of 188 patients who were receiving haemodialysis as of July 1998 were followed up for 30 months. Baseline characteristics, including age, sex, laboratory and clinical data, medication and dialysis prescription, were obtained. As of December 2000, 51 of the patients (27%) had died. In the deceased group, age was significantly higher, body mass index was significantly lower, and smoking was significantly more frequent compared with the survival group (each P <0.001). The percentage of patients taking calcium channel blockers was significantly higher in the survival group. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that haemodialysis patients assigned calcium channel blocker therapy had a significantly lower risk of mortality [relative risk 0.33 (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.67); P <0.001]. Thus, in haemodialysis patients who were at high risk of cardiovascular events, administration of calcium channel blockers was associated with lower mortality.
Tepel
Martin
M
Univ.-Klinik Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, Germany. Tepel@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Giet
Markus Van der
MV
Park
Alexander
A
Zidek
Walter
W
D000368:Aged; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers