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Osteocalcin and vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients: an observational cohort study

Hesham Kamal Habeeb Keryakos1, Nagwa Ismail Okaily2, Mariam Asaad Yacoub Boulis3

  • 1Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Aswan-Cairo Agricultural Road, El-Minia, 61111, Egypt. hesham.keryakos@mu.edu.eg.

International Urology and Nephrology
|January 12, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Patients on maintenance hemodialysis show functional vitamin K deficiency. However, serum osteocalcin levels do not correlate with cardiovascular calcification in these patients.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Vascular calcification is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
  • Understanding the factors influencing vascular calcification is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between osteocalcin (a bone metabolism marker) and vascular calcification in patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis.
  • To assess the role of vitamin K2 in this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 160 patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis and 60 healthy controls.
  • Measurement of serum vitamin K2, intact osteocalcin, and undercarboxylated osteocalcin.
  • Assessment of valvular calcification and thickening via transthoracic echocardiography and carotid artery calcification and thickening via carotid duplex ultrasound.

Main Results:

  • Hemodialysis patients exhibited higher median serum vitamin K2 and undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels compared to controls.
  • Vascular calcification (carotid media-intimal calcification) was associated with older age, longer duration of hypertension, and established cardiovascular disease.
  • Female sex was linked to valvular thickening.

Conclusions:

  • The study indicates a functional vitamin K deficiency in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.
  • Serum osteocalcin levels were found to be not associated with cardiovascular calcification in this patient cohort.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cardiovascular calcificationHemodialysisOsteocalcinValvular thickeningVitamin K2

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