Lower Serum Selenoprotein P Levels Are Associated with Aortic Stiffness in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Background/

Objectives

Selenoprotein P (SePP) has been linked to cardiovascular risk, but its relationship with aortic stiffness in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) is unclear. This study examined that association.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study of 138 patients on MHD, serum SePP levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured using the SphygmoCor system. Aortic stiffness was defined as a cfPWV of >10 m/s. Associations of SePP with cfPWV and aortic stiffness were assessed by correlation, linear regression, and penalized logistic regression.

Results

Fifty-six patients (40.6%) had aortic stiffness and had lower serum SePP levels than those without aortic stiffness (p = 0.001). Patients with aortic stiffness were older (p = 0.037) and had higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.005), higher glucose (p = 0.021) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.021) levels, and a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.034) and hypertension (p = 0.006). Log-transformed SePP was independently and inversely associated with log-transformed cfPWV in both the forward stepwise and forced-entry models (p < 0.001 for both). By Spearman's analysis, SePP was negatively correlated with cfPWV (p < 0.001). After adjustment for significant covariates, higher SePP levels remained independently associated with lower odds of aortic stiffness in multivariable and penalized logistic regression models.

Conclusions

Lower serum SePP levels were independently associated with higher cfPWV and greater odds of aortic stiffness in patients receiving MHD.