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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Visfatin is related to lipid dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in patients with chronic
1Institute of Nephrology of Chongqing and Department of Nephrology, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
Insights
Higher visfatin levels are linked to atherosclerosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This indicates visfatin may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis in CKD.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
- Atherosclerosis is a major complication in CKD patients.
- The role of visfatin in CKD-related atherosclerosis requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between visfatin and atherosclerosis in patients with CKD.
- To determine if visfatin levels correlate with markers of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in CKD.
Main Methods:
- Serum visfatin, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers (hsCRP) were measured in 117 CKD patients (stage 4-5) and 50 controls.
- Endothelial function was assessed using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).
- Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by vascular ultrasound.
Main Results:
- CKD patients exhibited endothelial dysfunction compared to controls.
- Visfatin levels correlated positively with hsCRP, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol.
- Visfatin levels correlated negatively with HDL cholesterol, eGFR, and FMD, and positively with carotid IMT.
Conclusions:
- Elevated visfatin levels in CKD patients are associated with impaired endothelial function, dyslipidemia, and reduced kidney function.
- Visfatin correlates with markers of inflammation and atherosclerosis progression (IMT).
- Visfatin may play a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis in CKD.
Background And Aims:
This study aimed to test the hypothesis that visfatin is associated with atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods:
In the study, we measured serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and the following blood markers of endothelial function and inflammation: endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO), thrombomodulin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in 117 patients with CKD stage 4 or 5 and in 50 normal controls. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was assessed by high-resolution brachial ultrasonography, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was determined by vascular ultrasound. Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured by ELISA.
Results:
Compared with healthy controls, endothelial dysfunction was observed in all CKD patients. Visfatin levels were strongly correlated with hsCRP levels, serum triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol levels, and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and FMD levels in the CKD patients (p<0.05, for all). Moreover, carotid IMT was found to be significantly related to visfatin levels (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
Overall, the study showed that in CKD patients, higher visfatin levels are associated with decreased GFR, increased serum triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels and impaired endothelial function. Moreover, visfatin levels also correlated with hsCRP levels and carotid IMT, suggesting that visfatin may play an important role in uremia-related atherosclerosis.
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