The Relationship Between Serum Angiopoietin-Like Protein-2 Levels and Arterial Stiffness in Hemodialysis Patients

Objective: Arterial stiffness, a predictor of cardiovascular events, is increased in hemodialysis patients than in healthy adults, and also cardiovascular diseases are more common in this population . Angiopoietin-like protein-2 is a glycoprotein which is thought to be associated with arterial stiffness. In this study, our aim is to investigate the relationship between angiopoietin-like protein-2 and arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: Patients who had been on hemodialysis for at least 3 months, aged 18-80 years, without active infection, and accepted to participate in the study were included in the study. Arterial stiffness was measured with the Mobil-O-Graph device. Angiopoietin-like protein-2 levels were measured by the Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method.

Results: Eighty-five patients were included in the study. The mean angiopoietin-like protein-2 level was 2427 ± 1102 pg/mL, and a positive correlation between angiopoietin-like protein-2 levels and hemodialysis duration, systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found. Mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was 8.08 ± 1.9 m/s, and a positive correlation was found between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, phosphorus and glucose, and a negative correlation was found with serum albumin level. There was no relationship between angio- poietin-like protein-2 levels and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and augmentation index. Age, body mass index, sys- tolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, albumin, glucose, and creatinine levels were found to be different when patients were divided into 2 groups based on the median carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity value.

Conclusion: In this cross-sectional study, we found that angiopoietin-like protein-2 levels were not associated with arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients.

Cite this article as: Öztürk İ, Güzel FB, Şenel ME, et al. The relationship between serum angiopoietin-like protein-2 levels and arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients. Turk J Nephrol. 2023;32(3):216-220.