title: [Vascular calcifications in chronic kidney disease].
abstract: Vascular calcifications are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Their prevalence is higher in patients with chronic kidney disease than in the general population and they are linked not only to classical risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and smoking but also to derangements in mineral metabolism and to chronic inflammation. The development of vascular calcifications is an active phenomenon that is linked to an imbalance between promoting and inhibitory factors. They affect also young patients on dialysis and it is therefore necessary to recognize them at an early stage. The distinction between intima and media calcification can be important for a different therapeutic approach. There are a number of devices for the identification of vascular calcifications, including x-ray imaging, ultrasonography and computerized technologies. The purpose of this paper is to show the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasonography in comparison to other tools for the diagnosis of vascular calcifications.
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. Nefrologia e Dialisi P.O. di Anzio, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Annibale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marinelli
authors.forename: Maria Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Londrino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Logias
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granata
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*