[Vascular and tissue calcifications of hemodialysis patients].

The present paper aims to assess radiographic vascular and soft parts calcifications occurrence and its correlation with biochemical profiles. The study was performed in 47 patients (ten diabetic patients), 49 years old, who had been on dialysis for a period of 51 months. Vascular calcifications (VCs) were classified as proximal, distal and soft tissues. In addition, Ca, P, CaxP values in the six months prior to the recruitment period, PTH, FAL and calcium carbonate, calcium acetate, and vitamin D3 intake were determined. A higher frequency of VCs was observed in diabetics, yielding a significant association with proximal 60% (p = 0.05) and almost significant with distal calcifications 70% (p = 0.07). Likewise, a lower CaxP was noted for diabetic VCs in comparison to that seen in non-diabetic VCs (p < 0.05). Proximal and distal VCs in the non-diabetics population were 25% and 20%, respectively; and tissue calcifications were 24%. Age was correlated with proximal and distal VCs (p < 0.01). A higher CaxP was observed in patients with VCs and it yielded an even higher value for tissue calcifications. Lastly, calcium acetate and overall calcium intake was higher in patients with tissue calcifications (p = 0.05). VCs were more frequent in diabetics and they also showed a lower CaxP. VCs in non-diabetics were correlated with CaxP values, whereas tissue calcifications were associated with calcium intake. Therefore, the management of renal osteodystrophy should be changed in order to prevent calcifications as well as to decrease morbidity in hemodialysis patients.