Relationship between glucose exposure via peritoneal dialysis solutions and coronary artery calcification in...

Vascular calcification is frequent in dialysis patients and is associated with increased mortality. Impaired glucose metabolism is proposed as a contributing factor for vascular calcification. We investigated whether glucose exposure via dialysate may have a role in vascular calcification in non-diabetic peritoneal dialysis patients.

We measured coronary artery calcification by multi-slice computerized tomography in 50 prevalent non-diabetic peritoneal dialysis patients and assessed its relations with fasting blood glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and glucose exposure from peritoneal dialysis fluid.

Twenty-four patients (48%) had no coronary calcification. When patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of calcification, patients with calcification were mostly men and had higher burden of cardiovascular disease history, vitamin D dose intake, serum calcium, total glucose exposure from dialysis solution, and lower total weekly Kt/Vurea. In multivariate analysis, dialysate glucose exposure was an independent predictor of coronary artery calcification score, besides serum calcium and Kt/Vurea.

These data suggest that high glucose exposure from dialysis solution, which is potentially correctable, is a risk factor for vascular calcification in non-diabetic PD patients.