title: Serum sclerostin values are associated with abdominal aortic calcification and predict cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5D.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association of circulating concentrations of sclerostin with abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3-5.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-one patients with CKD3-5D were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of AAC: an AAC group (n = 99) and a non-AAC group (n = 62). The concentration of serum sclerostin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AAC was evaluated using abdominal lateral X-ray examination. The follow-up intervals ranged from 7 to 29 months (median 16 months), and cardiovascular events (CVEs) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of vascular calcification (VC) was 61.5% (99/161). Serum sclerostin was significantly higher in an AAC group than in a non-AAC group (P < 0.001), but the concentration in the moderate-to-severe AAC group was lower than in the mild AAC group (P < 0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that high serum sclerostin, high serum calcium, diabetes, and old age were independently correlated with AAC. Patients with higher sclerostin values had a reduced risk of major cardiovascular events (log-rank test, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum sclerostin values are associated with the presence of AAC, but are lower when AAC is moderate to severe. Higher values are predictive of reduced short-term cardiovascular events. Taken together, these results suggest that sclerostin may have a role in the development of or the response to vascular calcification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.
authors.forename: Xue-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University.
authors.forename: De-Guang
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D001027:Aortography; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015415:Biomarkers; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C422903:SOST protein, human
keywords: abdominal aortic calcification; cardiovascular event; chronic kidney disease; sclerostin