Glycemic control and cardiovascular events in diabetic hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Patients on maintenance dialysis treatment experience an excess mortality, predominantly of sudden cardiac death. Poor glycemic control is associated with cardiovascular comorbidities in the general population. This study investigated the impact of glycemic control on cardiac and vascular outcomes in diabetic hemodialysis patients.


RESULTS
Glycohemoglobin A1c (HbA(1c)) was measured in 1255 hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who participated in the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study (4D Study) and were followed up for a median of 4 years. Using Cox regression analyses, we determined hazard ratios to reach prespecified, adjudicated end points according to HbA(1c) levels at baseline: sudden cardiac death (n=160), myocardial infarction (n=200), stroke (n=103), cardiovascular events (n=469), death caused by heart failure (n=41), and all-cause mortality (n=617). Patients had a mean age of 66+/-8 years (54% male) and mean HbA(1c) of 6.7+/-1.3%. Patients with an HbA(1c) >8% had a >2-fold higher risk of sudden death compared with those with an HbA(1c) < or =6% (hazard ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.33 to 3.44), persisting in multivariate models. With each 1% increase in HbA(1c), the risk of sudden death rose significantly by 18%; similarly, cardiovascular events and mortality increased by 8%. There was a trend for higher risks of stroke and deaths resulting from heart failure, whereas myocardial infarction was not affected. The increased risks of both cardiovascular events and mortality were explained mainly by the impact of HbA(1c) on sudden death.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor glycemic control was strongly associated with sudden cardiac death in diabetic hemodialysis patients, which accounted for increased cardiovascular events and mortality. In contrast, myocardial infarction was not affected. Whether interventions achieving tight glycemic control decrease sudden death requires further evaluation. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: http://www.clinicalstudyresults.org. Unique identifier: CT-981-423-239.
Drechsler
Christiane
C
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital, Oberdürrbacherstrasse 6, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany. c.drechsler@gmx.net
Krane
Vera
V
Ritz
Eberhard
E
März
Winfried
W
Wanner
Christoph
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D038321:Glycemic Index / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human