title: Circulating fetuin-A predicts early mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess whether low serum levels of fetuin-A are potential biochemical predictor of early and/or late survival in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured serum levels of fetuin-A in 67 patients on chronic HD, and correlated it to 3, 12, and 24 months mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cumulative death rate was 7%, 19%, and 37% deaths at 3, 12, and 24 months. Serum fetuin-A was significantly lower in 3 months and 12 months non-survivals (p<0.001), but not in 24 months non-survivals. Kaplan-Meier analyses based on fetuin-A tertiles showed statistically significantly increased probability of death up to 12 months of follow-up for decreasing fetuin-A concentrations (p<0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fetuin-A as a circulating inhibitor of vascular calcification was significant predictor of early mortality in chronic HD patients but did not appear as a fair marker for later survival.
authors.affiliation: Department Metabolism and Gerontology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. blaha@lfhk.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Vladimír
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bláha
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mistrík
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dusilová-Sulková
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalousová
authors.forename: Ctirad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrýs
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bláha
authors.forename: Lubos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sobotka