Artery Research - Articles in Press

Correlation between fetuin-A and matrix Gla protein levels in human serum - Corrected Proof

2010-07-26

Abstract: Background: Vascular calcification is frequently found in hemodialysis patients. Fetuin-A is a well-characterized circulating inhibitor of calcification. Several other bone-associated proteins, such as the matrix Gla protein (MGP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and osteopontin (OPN), are also presumed to inhibit vascular calcification. However, little is known about the relationship between fetuin-A and other calcification inhibitors. In this study, we examined the association of fetuin-A with MGP, OPG, and OPN.Methods: We consecutively enrolled 92 subjects who were suspected to have coronary artery diseases. Serum levels of fetuin-A, MGP, OPG, and OPN were measured using ELISA.Results: Fetuin-A level was significantly correlated with MGP level (p = 0.242, p = 0.021). On the other hand, the fetuin-A level was not correlated with OPG (p = 0.048, p = 0.649) and OPN (p = 0.007, p = 0.948) levels.Conclusions: We found the positive correlation between fetuin-A and MGP levels in human serum. Fetuin-A may collaborate with MGP to inhibit vascular calcification.

Role of aortic calcification, stiffness and wave reflections in cardiovascular risk in dialysis patients: Baseline data from the CORD study - Corrected Proof

2010-07-15

Abstract: Background: Accurate cardiovascular risk estimation in dialysis patients remains challenging because different pathogenetic mechanisms act simultaneously in this heterogeneous population. Radiographic calcification, aortic stiffness and wave reflection, have each individually been proven to be reliable surrogate markers for outcome. We aimed to explore to what extent these parameters intermutually provide complementary or overlapping information.Methods: Abdominal aortic calcification scoring of a plain lateral abdominal X-ray, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and central augmentation index (AIx) were measured in 1084 dialysis patients, recruited from 47 European dialysis centers.Results: Abdominal calcification correlated well with PWV (R = 0.44, P < 0.001) but poorly with AIx (R = 0.07, P = 0.04). Next to abdominal calcification, tertiles of PWV were associated with a stepwise increase age, blood pressure, and cardiovascular history, and tertiles of AIx with age, heart rate, and anthropometric factors. In multivariate analysis, only PWV remained significantly associated with calcification score. In addition to age and blood pressure, stiffness was mainly related to diabetes and calcification score (R2 = 0.39, P < 0.001), whereas AIx was more dependent on anthropometry, gender and heart rate (R2 = 0.36, P < 0.001).Conclusions: Information on aortic calcification and arterial abnormalities can be obtained by simple and inexpensive methodologies. Variation in wave reflections was mainly explained by anthropometric parameters. Stiffness and calcification partly provided complementary information, particularly in low-risk patients. In this group, likely to benefit most from preventive strategies and commonly considered for renal transplantation, evaluation of cardiovascular risk could be made more accurate by the assessment of both aortic calcification and arterial stiffness.

Moderated Poster Presentation - Corrected Proof

2009-11-02