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Clinical features of hemodialysis patients with intimal versus medial vascular calcifications

Tatjana Damjanovic1, Sivka Djuric, Georg Schlieper

  • 1Clinical Department for Nephrology and Dialysis, Zvezdara University Medical Center, Belgrade - Serbia. damtanja@beotel.yu

Journal of Nephrology
|June 27, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Vascular calcifications are common in hemodialysis patients, often presenting as a mixed pattern. Smoking and high blood pressure are key risk factors for these arterial calcifications.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Vascular calcifications (VCs) are a significant cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  • Distinguishing between arterial medial calcifications (AMCs) and intimal calcifications (AICs) is crucial for understanding VC progression in HD populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of different vascular calcification patterns (AMC, AIC, mixed) in hemodialysis patients.
  • To identify specific risk factors associated with each type of vascular calcification.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 134 hemodialysis patients.
  • Vascular calcifications were assessed using plain radiographs and ultrasonography of the common carotid arteries.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of VCs was observed, with 53% showing a mixed AIC and AMC pattern.
  • Older age was linked to AIC and mixed patterns; longer dialysis vintage was associated with mixed patterns.
  • Multivariate analysis identified high serum calcium, phosphate, BMI, blood pressure, intima-media thickness, and smoking history as risk factors for VCs.

Conclusions:

  • Vascular calcifications are highly prevalent in hemodialysis patients, predominantly as a mixed AIC+AMC pattern.
  • Smoking is highlighted as an under-recognized risk factor for AMC, and systolic blood pressure is important for AIC+AMC patterns.
Abstract

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