Serum level of macrophage colony-stimulating factor and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Atherosclerosis and its related complications are the leading causes of death in the hemodialysis (HD) population. Aortic calcification index (ACI), intima-media thickness (IMT) in common carotid arteries, and electrocardiogram (ECG) are atherosclerotic parameters that are available in usual clinical outpatient settings. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) play important roles in atherosclerosis.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study of 133 outpatients on maintenance HD in a single HD outpatient center. We measured serum levels of MCSF and MCP-1, determined the ACI using computed tomography scan and the IMT using high-sensitivity ultrasound B-mode imaging, and performed ECGs.


RESULTS
Stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed that the MCSF level correlated with age-adjusted mean and maximum IMT (F = 10.811, p = 0.001, and F = 6.784, p = 0.010, respectively) as well as with the diastolic blood pressure. Age and MCSF level (F = 4.866, p = 0.029) were independently related to an increased ACI. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was not related to IMT and ACI. The hsCRP level (chi2 = 5.002, p = 0.025) correlated with ECG changes followed by MCSF (chi2 = 3.940, p = 0.047). MCP-1 was not related to the above atherosclerotic parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
A head-to-head comparison between MCSF and hsCRP revealed that MCSF was more closely associated with IMT and ACI in HD patients.
Haraguchi
Kazutaka
K
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan. kazutaka@swallow.res.yamanashi-med.ac.jp
Kubo
Masashi
M
Saito
Takehiro
T
Furuya
Fumihiko
F
Inoue
Hironobu
H
Takahashi
Mitsuhiko
M
Shimura
Hiroki
H
Tago
Kiichiro
K
Kobayashi
Tetsuro
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein