title: Biomarkers associated with vascular and valvular calcification in chronic hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular calcification, including arterial intimal and medial calcification (AIC and AMC) and valvular calcification (VC) are important predictors of outcome in chronic dialysis patients. We aimed to compare their prevalence and analyze respective risk factors in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 81 HD patients were enrolled. Vascular calcification was assessed by plain film radiography of the pelvis and VC was diagnosed by echocardiography. Demographic data was reviewed and serum levels of calcification-relevant biomarkers were determined. Patients with and without calcification were then compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence study indicated that 36 patients had AIC (44.4%), 17 had AMC (21%) and 60 (74.1%) had VC. Patients with vascular calcification were older, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes. Their IL-6, osteoprotegerin, and uric acid levels were higher. Serum fetuin-A was lower in patients with VC. Logistic regression analysis revealed age, uric acid and diabetes to be independently associated with AIC; uric acid, diabetes and osteoprotegerin with AMC. Fetuin-A was the sole associate of VC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that the prevalence of cardiovascular calcification in chronic HD patients was high with cardiac valve involvement more frequent. Factors associated with different type of calcification were not identical. Changes in biomarkers may represent clinical clues for assessment of cardiovascular calcification in HD patients.
authors: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. chientel@gmail.com
authors: Chien-Te
authors: CT
authors: Lee
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Chua
authors: Chung-Yao
authors: CY
authors: Hsu
authors: Yu-Che
authors: YC
authors: Tsai
authors: Hwee-Yeong
authors: HY
authors: Ng
authors: Chien-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Kuo
authors: Chien-Hsing
authors: CH
authors: Wu
authors: Te-Chun
authors: TC
authors: Chen
authors: Terry Ting-Yu
authors: TT
authors: Chiu
authors: Yueh-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers