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A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro
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A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro

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[Cardiovascular calcifications in dialysis patients]

Pablo Ureña Torres1,2, Charles Chazot3

  • 1Chef de service de dialyse de l’AURA Nord, Saint-Ouen ; Hôpital Bichat, 12, rue Anselme, 93400 Saint-Ouen, France

Nephrologie & Therapeutique
|November 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular calcifications are common in advanced chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients, leading to poor outcomes. Current guidelines for managing this risk are underutilized, necessitating new therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those on dialysis exhibit a high prevalence of cardiovascular calcifications.
  • These calcifications are linked to severe complications and decreased life expectancy in this vulnerable population.
  • Existing recommendations and imaging scores aim to detect and manage cardiovascular risk, but their practical application remains limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the clinical significance of cardiovascular calcifications in advanced CKD and dialysis patients.
  • To emphasize the gap between current recommendations and clinical practice in managing cardiovascular risk.
  • To explore emerging and evaluated therapeutic strategies for preventing and treating cardiovascular calcifications.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature and clinical guidelines on cardiovascular calcifications in CKD and dialysis.
  • Analysis of the challenges in applying existing management strategies.
  • Identification and summary of novel therapeutic approaches under investigation.

Main Results:

  • Cardiovascular calcifications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in advanced CKD and dialysis patients.
  • Despite established guidelines, the management of cardiovascular risk factors and calcifications is inconsistently applied.
  • Several new therapeutic agents and strategies, including sodium thiosulfate, rheopheresis, vitamin K, magnesium, and SNF-472, are being evaluated.

Conclusions:

  • Effective prevention and treatment of cardiovascular calcifications require addressing traditional atherosclerosis risk factors, mineral and bone disorders, and optimizing dialysis.
  • There is a critical need for improved adherence to current guidelines and the development of novel therapies.
  • Emerging treatments show promise for mitigating the burden of cardiovascular calcifications in CKD and dialysis populations.

Keywords:
calciumcardiovascular diseaseCKD-MBDdialysisphosphatevascular disease

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