Cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients undergoing regular hemodialysis: a 5-year observational study

We aimed to study the vascular outcomes in hemodialysis (HD) patients based on their diabetic status. A cohort observational study was conducted among patients undergoing regular HD with a 5-year follow-up. Of the 252 consecutive HD patients, 60% were diabetic. Compared with nondiabetics, diabetics were 11 years older, 4 years lesser on HD, and more likely to have prior cerebrovascular and coronary artery disease (CAD). Overall 5-year follow-up showed that diabetic patients had higher rates of HD vascular accesses (57% vs 41%, P = .01), CAD (64% vs 33%, P = .001), major amputations (8.6% vs 0%, P = .003), and mortality (66% vs 23%, P = .001). On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of mortality included number of vascular accesses in nondiabetics and HD duration, CAD, and peripheral artery disease in diabetic patients. Diabetes mellitus is associated with a significant vascular burden and mortality among HD patients. Moreover, our finding highlights the vascular impact of renal failure and HD.