title: The relation between apelin levels, echocardiographic findings and carotid intima media thickness in peritoneal dialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Apelin expressed in endothelial and other tissues including brain and kidney is an adipocytokine defined recently and is emerging an important mediator of cardiovascular homeostasis. The aim of this study was to test whether apelin levels might be associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in peritoneal dialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty peritoneal dialysis patients (25 female, mean age 41.4 ± 11.9 years, mean dialysis vintage 65.0 ± 35.4 months) and 18 healthy individuals (9 female, mean age 41.7 ± 6.8 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Serum apelin 12 levels, echocardiographic findings and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) were recorded as well as clinical and laboratory data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the patient and the control groups with regard to demographic characteristics. In patient group, LVMI, CIMT, CRP and apelin levels were elevated compared to control group. However there was no association between apelin, LVMI and CIMT. There was a positive correlation between apelin and CRP, which was not statistically significant. When patients were divided into two groups according to the mean serum apelin levels, LVMI, CIMT and CRP were higher in the high apelin group but this difference did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed an increased inflammation and CVD risk in peritoneal dialysis patients. However, serum apelin levels seem not to be associated with cardiovascular risk in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Büyükbakkal
authors.forename: Başol
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Canbakan
authors.forename: Bariş
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Yayar
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Merhametsiz
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haspulat
authors.forename: M Deniz
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ayli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000073861:Apelin; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: C115436:APLN protein, human; D000073861:Apelin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Apelin; C-reactive protein; carotid artery intima media thickness; end stage renal disease; left ventricular mass index; peritoneal dialysis