title: [Cardiovascular calcifications in hemodialysis patients. Prevalence and risk factors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic hemodialysed patients. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications in dialysed patients and to evaluate their risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did a transversal study in 86 chronically hemodialysed patients in the hemodialysis department, Ibn Sina university hospital (Rabat). All patients, 44 men and 42 females, mean age 42 +/- 15.5 years were hemodialysed for more than one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications was 24.5%. Chronic hemodialysed patients with cardiovascular calcifications were older (50.5 years +/- 15.4 vs 39 years +/- 14.6; p = 0.003). They had a long hemodialysis duration (81 months +/- 51 vs 59 months +/- 43; p = 0.05) and a higher calcium plasmatic concentration (2.27 +/- 0.15 vs 2.1 +/- 0.19 mmol/l; p = 0.03). We noted a male gender predominance (sex ratio M/W = 18/3 vs 26/39; p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis showed, as an independent predictor of cardiovascular calcifications, the old age (p = 0.01). Cardiovascular calcifications seem uncommon in our hemodialysis patients. Older age, longer hemodialysis duration and male gender are risk factors. The use of low doses of calcium carbonate, vitamin D and low milk products diet may explain this low prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Service de néphrologie et d'hémodialyse, CHU Ibn Sina, Rabat, Maroc.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benamar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rhou
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Guerraoui
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakkal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benjelloun
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Laouad
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arzouk
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benabdellah
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ouzeddoune
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ezaitouni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balafrej
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium