title: Spatial inhomogeneity of common carotid artery intima-media is increased in dialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Structural abnormalities of the common carotid artery (CCA), as assessed by ultrasound techniques, are related to cardiovascular outcome in dialysis patients. An increased intima media thickness (IMT) of the CCA may both represent a reaction to a haemodynamic burden as well as atherosclerosis. With a new ultrasound technique CCA-IMT and IMT-inhomogeneity, a novel parameter of spatial variance of the IMT, were measured and related to traditional and non-traditional risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, we included 134 dialysis patients, aged 61+/-13 years (103 on haemodialysis, 31 on peritoneal dialysis) and 41 controls, aged 60+/-8 years. Age, sex, pulse pressure, diabetes, prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and height were included in the basic multiregression analysis. Ultrasound examination of the CCA was performed. We also measured serum fetuin-A, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), antibodies to oxidized low density lipoproteins (anti-oxLDL antibodies), calcium, phosphate, albumin and parathyroid hormone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, dialysis patients had a greater CCA-IMT (670 microm vs 590+/-10 microm; P=0.002) and a greater CCA-IMT inhomogeneity (11.0 vs 8.1%; P=0.013). Dialysis patients with CVD had a greater CCA-IMT (734 microm vs 631 microm; P=0.001) and IMT-inhomogeneity (13.2 vs 9.7; P=0.008) compared with patients without CVD. IMT-inhomogeneity strongly correlated with IMT (R=0.65, P<0.0001). In multiregression analysis, serum fetuin-A and anti-oxLDL antibodies correlated with IMT-inhomogeneity but not with IMT. HsCRP neither correlated with IMT-inhomogeneity nor with IMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows that CCA-IMT and IMT-inhomogeneity were increased in dialysis patients compared with controls. Although CCA-IMT and IMT-inhomogeneity are related, the different associations between both measurements and non-traditional risk factors show that they are distinct entities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Academic Hospital Maastricht, PO box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Department of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany. mherm@sint.azm.nl
authors.forename: Marc M H
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Jeroen P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kooman
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brandenburg
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ketteler
authors.forename: Jan G M C
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: Jan W Cohen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tervaert
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Pieter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Rensma
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gladziwa
authors.forename: Abraham A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kroon
authors.forename: Arnold P G
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Hoeks
authors.forename: Coen D A
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.forename: Karel M L
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Leunissen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein
chemical_list: C556354:AHSG protein, human; D001798:Blood Proteins; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein