Relationship between Arterial Calcification and Fetuin-A Levels in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease at the Onset of Hemodialysis

Abstract

Introduction: Arterial calcification is a negative predictor of morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease. Traditional factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and non-traditional factors such as mineral disorders are involved in calcification. They are generally classified as promoters and inhibitors. Possible changes in inhibiting factors, such as fetuin-A, are responsible for the pathophysiology of vascular calcification. Method: Arterial calcification was evaluated by withdrawing fragments of the artery to undergo the first arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis. Four histological stains were used to identify the presence of calcification while blood for fetuin determination was collected at the same time. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were analyzed to test possible relationships in the prevalence of vascular calcification. Results: Thirty-four patients were enrolled and vascular calcification was detected in eight. Statistical analysis revealed that calcification predictors were age and the presence of diabetes. The correlation between arterial calcification and fetuin was 0.4 (r = of 0.033). Conclusion: There is a tendency to an inverse correlation between arterial calcification and fetuin-A levels in patients with chronic kidney disease at the onset of hemodialysis.