The Relationship between Endothelial Dysfunction and Pentraxin-3 Concentration in Chronic Kidney Disease

AIM: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease in CKD. Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), a new candidate marker for inflammation is expressed in a variety of cell types. We aimed to investigate the relation between plasma PTX-3, serum hs-CRP levels and endothelial dysfunction in CKD.

MATERIAL and METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five patients with CKD were studied. Patients were divided into 5 groups according to their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as assessed by K/DOQI guidelines. Twenty-five healthy subjects were studied as controls. Venous samples were obtained from all subjects for PTX-3 and hs-CRP levels in addition to detailed metabolic panel. Endothelial dysfunction was assessed from all subjects by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).

RESULTS: FMD levels were significantly decreased in all stages with the higher the stage of CKD, the lower the levels of FMD. Plasma PTX-3 levels of the stage 1-2-3 CKD group were similar to those of the controls, while other groups had significantly higher values (p<0.001). Additionally, hs-CRP levels were significantly increased in all stages of CKD. There was a significant positive correlation between FMD and GFR(r=0.762, p<0.001). There was also a significant negative correlation between FMD and PTX-3 (r=-0.414, p<0.001) as well as between FMD and hs-CRP (r=-0.546, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The results suggest that both plasma PTX-3 and hs-CRP levels are associated with endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients.