title: Visfatin is not associated with inflammatory markers in patients on hemodialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular events are a major cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease. Endothelial dysfunction represents a key event in atherosclerosis development and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of different forms of cardiovascular disease, including chronic kidney disease. In recent years, visfatin, a ubiquitous adipokine, has been described as a potent marker of endothelial inflammation and dysfunction. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of visfatin with well-known markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and plasma samples from 66 patients (40 males and 26 females) treated by hemodialysis were analysed for visfatin, fibrinogen, CRP, PAI-1 levels. Visfatin was determined by ELISA method while CRP, fibrinogen and PAL-1 were obtained by standard laboratory methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed statistically significant correlation between visfatin level and fibrinogen (r = 0.51; p = 0.008) and the time on dialysis in female patients (r = 0.70; p < 0.001). PAI-1 and CRP did not correlate with visfatin in males nor in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visfatin is correlated with time on dialysis and with fibrinogen only in female dialysis patients. To confirm this, further studies are needed with a higher number of patients.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. ivana.celap@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Celap
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ana-Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Simundic
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolac
authors.affiliation: University Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miler
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Endocrinology, Clinics of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zec
authors.affiliation: Center for Hemodialysis, Department of Nephrology, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Karmela
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Altabas
authors.affiliation: Center for Hemodialysis, Department of Nephrology, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sinisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sefer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase