Association between circulating endothelial cells and carotid atherosclerosis in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis.
Accelerated atherosclerosis is the major cause of mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, and endothelial injury associated with MHD might contribute strongly to pathogenesis. The current study was designed to explore possible associations between circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and intima-media thickness of common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) as an indicator of carotid atherosclerosis. Sixty-two MHD patients and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. The number of CECs was determined in peripheral blood using multiparametric flow cytometry. CCA-IMT and presence of plaques in the common carotid arteries were assessed with ultrasound. Laboratory tests results and the demographics were recorded. The finding indicated that numbers of CECs were higher in patients before hemodialysis (predialysis) compared with numbers in controls (P = 0.045). CCA-IMT was also significantly higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.01). A positive relationship was observed between predialysis CECs numbers and CCA-IMT (P < 0.01) in MHD patients. In multiple linear regression analysis, the relationship between the predialysis CECs level and CCA-IMT remained the same even if adjusting for confounding effects. Accordingly, the investigation indicates that the CECs level is positively associated with CCA-IMT in our hemodialysis patients. CECs might be an important marker to the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in MHD patients.
Department of Nephrology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, Shandong 261041, China.
Kun-ying
KY
Zhang
Department of Nephrology, Fuxing Hospital, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
Hui-lan
HL
Liu
Department of Nephrology, Fuxing Hospital, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
Xiao-feng
XF
Duan
Department of Nephrology, Fuxing Hospital, Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing, China.
Guo-gang
GG
Li
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D042783:Endothelial Cells; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers