title: Correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level with vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level with vascular calcification in patients treated with hemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a cross-sectional study, 126 patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) in our hospital were enrolled in this study. According to the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, the patients were divided into 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency group (30 ηg/ml or less than 30 ηg/ml) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D normal level group (>30 ηg/ml). All of the subjects underwent lateral lumbar, pelvis and hands X-ray examination to score the degree of calcification (Kauppila score).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 126 patients treated with MHD, there were 110 patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and 16 patients with normal 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. There was no significant difference found in gender, age, age of dialysis, active vitamin D treatment, blood calcium, blood phosphorus, blood parathyroid hormone (PTH) and other related indicators between the two groups. The incidence of vascular calcification in patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency was significantly higher than that in patients with normal 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (P = 0.001). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level had a negative correlation with the calcification score (r = 0.193, P = 0.193). Logistic regression showed that 25-hydroxyvitamin D was not a risk factor for vascular calcification in MHD patients. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is generally low in patients with MHD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency have a higher incidence of vascular calcification with a markedly negative correlation. Thus, for the patients treated with MHD, vitamin D deficiency should be actively treated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Chengdu 610072, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Chengdu 610072, China.
authors.forename: Shukun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Chengdu 610072, China.
authors.forename: Yizhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital Chengdu 610072, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Maintenance hemodialysis; calcification score; vascular calcification