title: Carotid artery diameter and wall stiffness in proteinuric renal disease without severely reduced kidney function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the carotid artery diameter, and wall thickness and stiffness in patients with glomerulopathy and proteinuria without severely reduced kidney function.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared 30 control subjects to 30 patients with glomerular disease, proteinuria, and glomerular filtration rate > 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) : membranous glomerulonephritis (n = 13), minimal change disease (n = 2), focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (n = 3), IgA nephropathy (n = 5), lupus nephritis (n = 5), antiphospholipid antibody nephropathy (n = 1), cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis (n = 1). The laboratory evaluations included carotid artery diameter, intima-media thickness, and stiffness measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carotid cross-sectional area of intima-media complex was thicker in patients (18.6 ± 1.4 [x ± SEM]) than in controls (14.8 ± 0.6 mm(2) , p = 0.014), as was carotid artery wall stiffness (8.96 ± 0.86 versus 5.65 ± 0.38, [x ± SEM], p < 0.01). This difference remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors: carotid stiffness was 9.19 ± 0.67 (99% confidence interval [CI] 7.40-10.98)] in patients and 4.80 ± 0.75 (99% CI 2.79-7.11) in controls; adjusted mean difference 4.40 (99% CI 1.46-7.34); p <0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed, for the first time, signs of altered structural and elastic properties of the arterial wall in patients with proteinuria and glomerular disease without severely reduced kidney function.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Via A. Cardarelli 9, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: MariaRosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iannuzzi
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Via A. Cardarelli 9, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Angelillo
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tortori
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Unit of Nephrology and Dialysis, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pazzano
authors.affiliation: Campus Biomedico University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Serio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Covetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bresciani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Antonio Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Arcangelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iannuzzi
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009401:Nephrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: carotid artery; diameter; intima-media thickness; kidney disease; proteinuria; stiffness