Serum visfatin as a non-traditional biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in chronic kidney disease: an Egyptian study.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is closely linked to cardiovascular disease and outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Visfatin is an adipocytokine that recently generated much interest; however, its role in CKD remains to be clarified. This study aimed to assess visfatin in correlation with markers of ED and inflammation in Egyptian patients with CKD.


METHODS
The study included 40 non-diabetic, clinically stable CKD patients and 20 healthy volunteers. Serum levels of visfatin, markers of ED (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)) and markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP)) were measured. Endothelial function was evaluated using brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).


RESULTS
Serum visfatin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, CRP, and IL-6 levels were significantly elevated and FMD% was decreased in CKD patients as compared to controls. Visfatin correlated positively with ICAM-1, VCAM-1, CRP, and IL-6 and negatively with FMD% in CKD patients. In a multiple regression model, visfatin was strongly and independently associated with FMD (Beta=-0.02, P<0.001) in CKD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum visfatin is strongly associated with endothelial adhesion molecules and FMD%, suggesting that visfatin is an important promising biomarker for prediction of ED and future cardiovascular risk in CKD patients. Moreover, the relationship between visfatin and IL-6 indicates that circulating visfatin may reflect the sub-clinical inflammatory status. Thus, visfatin might be involved in the complex interactions between ED, inflammation, and atherosclerosis and their major clinical consequences; however, further prospective studies are required to prove this hypothesis.
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Al-Geish Street, 31527 Tanta, Egypt. saharbessa@yahoo.com
Sahar S
SS
Bessa
Soha M
SM
Hamdy
Raghda G
RG
El-Sheikh
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004534:Egypt; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human