Coronary artery calcifications in renal graft recipients at the time of transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Coronary artery calcifications (CACs) represent an important risk factor of coronary artery disease in the general population. The purpose of the study was to determine the amount of CAC, including calcium mass, in renal graft recipients early after transplantation.


METHODS
Forty-nine patients aged 43.7+/-9.8 years underwent CAC determination with multi-detector row computed tomography within two weeks after transplantation. The calcium scores were compared with the clinical and laboratory data of the subjects.


RESULTS
CACs were detected in 73% of the subjects. The mean calcium score (CS) was 500.8+/-1100.4 and the mean calcium mass (CM) 127.0+/-228.6 mg. Presence of diabetes, duration of hypertension, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly associated with the presence of CAC in univariate analysis. CS and CM positively correlated with duration of hypertension, time on dialysis, and pulse pressure (PP) and negatively with DBP. In multiple regression analysis the duration of hypertension, DBP, and PP were identified as independent predictors of CAC presence (p<0.01), while the time on dialysis and DBP were independent predictors of CAC severity (p<0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that hypertension may play a crucial role in the development of coronary artery calcifications in end-stage renal disease patients, but the nature of the relation between CAC and blood pressure needs further investigation.
Serafin
Zbigniew
Z
Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Collegium Medicum of Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland. serafin@cm.umk.pl
Nawrocka
Elzbieta
E
Thabit
Sinjab A
SA
Lasek
Władysław
W
Włodarczyk
Zbigniew
Z
D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002118:Calcium