title: Vascular calcification burden of Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease: methodology of a cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular calcification is a common complication associated with chronic kidney disease and the major cause of cardiovascular disease in patients with end-stage renal disease. The vascular calcification risk burden is still unknown in China. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of vascular calcification and assess the predictive value of vascular calcification in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease on dialysis in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a national, multicenter, non-interventional, prospective cohort study planning to recruit 1520 patients with end-stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis for at least 6 months in 24 dialysis centers in China. All the patients provided written informed consents before participating in this study. It will include a baseline visit and 24 months follow-up period with 4 other visits at 6-month intervals. Vascular calcification images will be obtained to determine the prevalence of vascular calcification, coronary artery calcification, abdominal aortic calcification and cardiac valve calcification. Association between vascular calcification and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality and non-fatal cardiovascular events will be assessed. Disease management, as assessed by serum level of calcium, phosphorus and intact parathyroid hormone and its impact on vascular calcification, will also be surveyed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new results gained from this study will supplement limited current available data and provide better clinical decisions in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis.
authors.affiliation: National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, 305 East Zhong Shan Road, Nanjing, 210016, China. liuzhihong@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012107:Research Design; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010758:Phosphorus; D002118:Calcium