Arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients

Objectives: Increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of death from cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among patients with end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study was to compare arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: Serum samples were taken from 42 hemodialysis patients with the same high flux artificial kidney. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured in the right or left brachial artery to the ankle segments that did not have arteriovenous fistula using an automatic pulse wave analyzer. Plasma adiponectin levels were measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Body fat mass was determined using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: Arterial stiffness was higher in hemodialysis patients (85.7%). Age (p = 0.018), systolic blood pressure (p <0.001) and fasting glucose (p = 0.007) were higher, and hematocrit (p = 0.016) was lower in hemodialysis patients with arterial stiffness. Plasma homocystine (p = 0.899), adiponectin (p = 0.204), C-reactive protein (p = 0.276), body fat mass (p = 0.756), total cholesterol (p = 0.607), triglyceride (p = 0.737), calcium (p = 0.698) and phosphorous (p = 0.629) metabolism were not associated with arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients. Multivariate forward step-wise linear regression analysis of arterial stiffness showed that systolic blood pressure and age were independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients and explained 45.8% of the variance in patients with arterial stiffness (R² = 0.458). Conclusion: The incidence of arterial stiffness was higher in hemodialysis patients. Systolic blood pressure and age were independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients.