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Low bone volume--a risk factor for coronary calcifications in hemodialysis patients
Teresa Adragao1, Johann Herberth, Marie-Claude Monier-Faugere
1Nephrology Department, Santa Cruz Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
Insights
Low bone volume is linked to higher coronary calcifications in hemodialysis patients. This association is significant in early years of dialysis but diminishes over time.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Bone Metabolism
Background:
- Altered bone metabolism is increasingly linked to cardiovascular calcifications in stage 5 chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for managing cardiovascular risk in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between bone volume, bone turnover, and coronary artery calcifications in hemodialysis patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 38 hemodialysis patients.
- Bone biopsies analyzed via histomorphometry to assess bone volume and turnover.
- Multislice computed tomography used to quantify coronary calcifications via Agatston scores.
Main Results:
- 50% of patients exhibited low bone turnover, and 16% had low bone volume.
- Lower bone volume was a significant predictor of coronary calcifications in patients with early years of hemodialysis (duration < 6 years).
- Bone turnover parameters were not significantly associated with coronary calcifications.
Conclusions:
- Low bone volume is associated with increased coronary calcifications in hemodialysis patients.
- The impact of low bone volume on coronary calcifications appears more pronounced in the initial years of hemodialysis treatment.
Background And Objectives:
There is increasing evidence that altered bone metabolism is associated with cardiovascular calcifications in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis (HD). This study was conducted to evaluate the association between bone volume, turnover, and coronary calcifications in HD patients.
Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements:
In a cross-sectional study, bone biopsies and multislice computed tomography were performed in 38 HD patients. Bone volume/total volume, activation frequency, and bone formation rate/bone surface were determined by histomorphometry and coronary calcifications were quantified by Agatston scores.
Results:
Prevalence of low bone turnover was 50% and of low bone volume was 16%. Among the studied traditional cardiovascular risk factors, only age was found to be associated with coronary calcifications. Lower bone volume was a significant risk factor for coronary calcifications during early years of HD, whereas this effect was not observed in patients with dialysis duration >6 yr. Histomorphometric parameters of bone turnover were not associated with coronary calcifications.
Conclusions:
Low bone volume is associated with increased coronary calcifications in patients on HD.
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