Relationships between abdominal aortic calcification, glomerular filtration rate, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease
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BACKGROUND

Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is an established risk factor for cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesized that AAC is associated with a decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as well as with some other cardiovascular risk factors.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a randomized controlled clinical trial (RENEXC). A total of 151 patients (aged 66 ± 14 years) with an average measured GFR (mGFR) of 22.5 ± 8.2 mL/min/1.73m2, not on renal replacement therapy, irrespective of number of comorbidities, were included. GFR was measured with iohexol clearance and estimated using cystatin C- and creatinine-based equations (eGFR). AAC was evaluated with lateral lumbar X-ray using the scoring system described by Kauppila. All patients underwent laboratory analyses, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and standard echocardiography. Multiple linear regression analyses controlling for sex, age, cardiovascular comorbidities, and hypertension were performed.

RESULTS

The prevalence of AAC in this group of patients was 73%, and 47% had severe calcification (AAC score ≥ 7). More men (76%) had AAC than women (69%). AAC score was associated with mGFR (p = 0.03), eGFR (p = 0.006), plasma albumin (p = 0.006), plasma phosphate (p = 0.01), pulse pressure (p = 0.004), left ventricular mass (LVM) (p = 0.02), left atrial volume (LAV; p < 0.001), and left atrial volume index (LAVI; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

AAC was highly prevalent in CKD. The degree of calcification in the abdominal aorta was strongly associated with a decline in GFR, a decrease in plasma albumin, an increase in plasma phosphate, an increase in pulse pressure, and cardiac structural changes, such as an increase in LVM, LAV, and LAVI.
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