title: Endothelial dysfunction in hemodialysis patients with failed renal transplants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is a common precursor and denominator of cardiovascular events including development of atherosclerosis. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate ED, measured by coronary flow reserve (CFR) in hemodialysis (nHD) patients who were never transplanted and patients with failed renal transplants restarting hemodialysis (fTx-HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty nHD (24 males, mean age 39 ± 9 yr) and 43 fTx-HD patients (27 males, mean age 36 ± 9 yr) were included in the study. Clinical and biochemical parameters, including high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were determined. Also, CFR measurements were used to evaluate ED.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences regarding age, gender, smoking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, mean duration of HD treatment as well as Kt/V((urea)) values between the two groups. Time spent on dialysis in the nHD group and dialysis duration following failure of renal allograft in the fTx-HD group were similar. Serum creatinine, hemoglobin, hematocrit, calcium and phosphorus levels were similar between the two groups as well. When compared to nHD group, serum total cholesterol (139 ± 3 vs. 154 ± 3 mg/dL, p = 0.045), serum albumin (3.8 ± 0.3 g/dL vs. 4.1 ± 0.2 g/dL, p < 0.0001) and CFR (1.60 ± 0.2 vs. 1.75 ± 0.3, p = 0.028) levels were significantly lower, while serum hs-CRP levels (11 ± 15 mg/L vs. 3 ± 4 mg/L, p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the fTx-HD group. Serum hs-CRP negatively correlated (r = -0254, p = 0.021), while serum albumin positively correlated (r = 0402, p = 0.001) with CFR values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ED is more prominent in fTx-HD than the nHD patients. Inflammation, caused by failed renal allograft can be responsible for this abnormality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. numangorgulu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Numan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gorgulu
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yelken
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Caliskan
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elitok
authors.forename: Arif Oguzhan
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Cimen
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oflaz
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Golcuk
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekmekci
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.forename: Alaattin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Mehmet Sukru
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sever
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult