Relationship Between Fetuin-A, Inflammation, Coronary Artery Calcification in Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

OBJECTIVE: Vascular calcification is commonly seen in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Fetuin-A has been found to be a vascular calcification inhibitor and its level is significantly low in ESRD patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the relation between coronary artery calcification, inflammation and fetuin-A levels in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients.

MATERIAL and METHODS: 46 PD (M/F=28/18) and 34 (M/F=20/14) HD patients were included in the study. Coronary artery calcification scoring was made by multi slice computed tomography. PD and HD patients were divided into 2 groups according to their median CACS values Serum levels of fetuin-A, CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α are studied.

RESULTS: There were no differences in demographic features of PD and HD patients. There was a correlation between CACS, advanced age, dialysis vintage and fetuin-A. We could not find any correlation between inflammatory markers and CACS. There was a statistically significant difference between fetuin-A and CACS groups.

CONCLUSION: Age, duration of dialysis, fetuin-A levels were found to be related to CACS in PD and HD patients. Fetuin-A may play a role in increased mortality in this population via facilitating CACS.