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[Cardiovascular calcifications in hemodialysis patients. Prevalence and risk factors]
L Benamar1, H Rhou, M H Guerraoui
1Service de néphrologie et d'hémodialyse, CHU Ibn Sina, Rabat, Maroc.
Insights
Cardiovascular calcifications were found in 24.5% of chronic hemodialysis patients. Older age, longer dialysis duration, and male gender were identified as key risk factors for these calcifications.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Context:
- Cardiovascular diseases pose a significant threat to patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors of cardiovascular calcifications is crucial for this high-risk population.
Purpose:
- To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications in patients on chronic hemodialysis.
- To identify associated risk factors for cardiovascular calcifications in this cohort.
Summary:
- A cross-sectional study of 86 hemodialysis patients revealed a 24.5% prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications.
- Older age, longer duration of hemodialysis, and male gender were significantly associated with calcifications.
- Independent predictors included older age (p=0.01), longer dialysis duration (p=0.05), and higher calcium levels (p=0.03).
Impact:
- Findings suggest cardiovascular calcifications are less common than anticipated, potentially due to therapeutic interventions.
- Identifies key demographic and clinical factors for targeted screening and prevention strategies.
- Highlights the need for further research into the protective mechanisms observed in this patient group.
Objectives:
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic hemodialysed patients. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications in dialysed patients and to evaluate their risk factors.
Methods:
We did a transversal study in 86 chronically hemodialysed patients in the hemodialysis department, Ibn Sina university hospital (Rabat). All patients, 44 men and 42 females, mean age 42 +/- 15.5 years were hemodialysed for more than one year.
Findings:
The prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications was 24.5%. Chronic hemodialysed patients with cardiovascular calcifications were older (50.5 years +/- 15.4 vs 39 years +/- 14.6; p = 0.003). They had a long hemodialysis duration (81 months +/- 51 vs 59 months +/- 43; p = 0.05) and a higher calcium plasmatic concentration (2.27 +/- 0.15 vs 2.1 +/- 0.19 mmol/l; p = 0.03). We noted a male gender predominance (sex ratio M/W = 18/3 vs 26/39; p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis showed, as an independent predictor of cardiovascular calcifications, the old age (p = 0.01). Cardiovascular calcifications seem uncommon in our hemodialysis patients. Older age, longer hemodialysis duration and male gender are risk factors. The use of low doses of calcium carbonate, vitamin D and low milk products diet may explain this low prevalence.