Glycosylated hemoglobin levels are associated with cardiovascular events in nondiabetic peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND

High glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels are recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the diabetic dialysis population. However, it is not known whether this also applies to nondiabetic dialysis patients. We prospectively investigated the association between HbA1c levels and new cardiovascular events in nondiabetic patients treated with peritoneal dialysis.

METHODS

Eighty nondiabetic patients who had been on peritoneal dialysis treatment were prospectively followed for 5 years. HbA1c levels were measured at baseline and every 3 months. Fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events were assessed during the follow-up.

RESULTS

Mean age was 48.5 ± 15.2 years; 51% were male. Baseline HbA1c level was 5.46% ± 0.41% (range 4.6%-6.3%). Mean HbA1c was 5.44% ± 0.31% (range 4.8%-6.3%) during the study, and positively correlated with age and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Twenty fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events were observed during a mean 41.8 ± 7.1 months of follow-up. Event-free survival was better in patients with HbA1c levels <5.45%, compared with that for those with HbA1c levels =5.45% (p=0.01). In crude Cox regression analysis, an increase in HbA1c level of 0.1% was associated with a 1.22-fold increase in new cardiovascular events (p=0.007). In Cox analyses, HbA1c level was found as a significant predictor of cardiovascular events.

CONCLUSION

HbA1c levels predict fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events in nondiabetic peritoneal dialysis patients.