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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Clinical Factors Associated with Arterial Stiffness in Chronic Kidney Disease
Jin Yao1,2, Zheyi Dong2, Qian Wang2
1School of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Insights
Arterial stiffness increases with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. Female sex, age, smoking, and higher mean arterial pressure are linked to increased stiffness in CKD patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Arterial stiffness is a key prognostic factor in end-stage kidney disease.
- Factors contributing to arterial stiffness in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical factors associated with arterial stiffness in patients with CKD.
- To identify predictors of increased arterial stiffness in non-dialysis CKD patients.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 559 non-dialysis CKD patients was studied between September 2017 and September 2022.
- Arterial stiffness was assessed using the augmentation index (AIx).
- Linear regression models were employed to explore correlations between clinical factors and AIx.
Main Results:
- Augmentation index (AIx@75) significantly increased with CKD stage progression (CKDG1-CKDG5).
- Multivariate analysis revealed positive associations of AIx@75 with female sex, age, and mean arterial pressure (MAP).
- Negative associations were observed between AIx@75 and the use of ACEI/ARB and glucocorticoids.
Conclusions:
- Female sex, older age, smoking, elevated MAP, and specific disease causes are associated with arterial stiffness in CKD.
- Use of ACEI/ARB and glucocorticoids may be protective against arterial stiffness in CKD patients.
- Findings highlight key clinical factors influencing arterial stiffness in the CKD population.
Background:
Arterial stiffness influences the prognosis of patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, the factors that promote arterial stiffness in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remain unknown. We aimed to explore the clinical factors associated with arterial stiffness in CKD.
Methods:
Between September 2017 and September 2022, all CKD patients treated at the Department of Nephrology, General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, excluding dialysis patients, were screened and their medical records within the last month were collected. Arterial stiffness was measured by the augmentation index (AIx). The correlative clinical factors with arterial stiffness were explored in different linear regression models.
Results:
559 patients were included in the study. AIx@75 increased as the deterioration of CKDG1-CKDG5, with values of 1 (-9, 11), 5.5 (-4, 13.25), 9 (0, 16), 12 (1.5, 23.5), and 22 (13, 28), respectively (Z = 63.03, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that AIx@75 was positively associated with female sex (β = 8.926, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.291, 11.562, p < 0.001), age (β = 0. 485, 95% CI 0.39, 0.58, p < 0.001), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (β = 0.255, 95% CI 0.159, 0.35, p < 0.001), and was negatively associated with ACEI/ARB (β = -4.466, 95% CI -6.963, -1.969, p < 0.001) and glucocorticoid (β = -3.163, 95% CI -6.143, -0.183, p = 0.038). Smoking, eGFR, hemoglobin, and cause of disease were associated with AIx@75 in multivariate linear regression models when considering factors partly.
Conclusions:
Female, age, smoking, MAP, eGFR, cause of disease, ACEI/ARB, and glucocorticoid were found to be associated with atherosclerosis in CKD patients.
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