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Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
08:50

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Published on: June 16, 2014

Blood pressure goals and arterial stiffness in chronic kidney disease

YinPing Liew1, Mohammed A Rafey, Sridhar Allam

  • 1Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

Journal of Clinical Hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.)
|July 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Optimal blood pressure control in chronic kidney disease patients is linked to reduced arterial stiffness. Achieving a blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg was associated with a lower augmentation index (AIx).

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and increased arterial stiffness.
  • Arterial stiffness is a significant predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality in CKD patients.
  • The relationship between achieving target BP levels and arterial stiffness markers in CKD requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between achieving a recommended blood pressure (BP) goal (<130/80 mm Hg) and arterial stiffness in patients with CKD.
  • To compare the augmentation index (AIx), a measure of arterial stiffness, between CKD patients who met BP targets and those who did not.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 172 CKD patients was analyzed.
  • Patients were categorized based on whether they achieved a BP goal of <130/80 mm Hg or not (≥130/80 mm Hg).
  • The augmentation index (AIx) was measured and compared between the two groups, with adjustments for age, sex, and height.

Main Results:

  • Approximately one-third of the CKD patients achieved the target BP goal (<130/80 mm Hg).
  • Patients achieving the BP goal exhibited a significantly lower median AIx (19%) compared to those who did not (23%; P=.04).
  • This significant difference in AIx persisted after adjusting for covariates (mean effect -3.3%; P=.03), indicating lower arterial stiffness in the BP-controlled group.

Conclusions:

  • Achieving a BP goal of <130/80 mm Hg in CKD patients is significantly associated with lower arterial stiffness, as indicated by a reduced AIx.
  • These findings suggest that optimal BP management in CKD may contribute to mitigating vascular damage and reducing overall arterial stiffness.

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