Frequency of abdominal aortic calcification in a group of Iraqi hemodialysis patients.

Cardiovascular complications including abdominal aortic calcification significantly affect the mortality and morbidity in patients on a hemodialysis (HD) program. The objective of this study is to find the frequency of abdominal aortic calcification in patients on regular HD and to evaluate the effect of parameters on frequency and severity of abdominal aortic calcification. Fifty-four patients with end-stage renal disease on regular HD were studied from January 2011 to December 2011 to evaluate abdominal aortic calcification by plain abdominal X-ray. The study showed that 10 (18.5%) patients had abdominal aortic calcification. Only one (1.9%) had grade 3 calcification and among the remaining, five (9.3%) patients had grade 1 and four (7.4%), grade 2. There was a statistically significant difference (P <0.05) in the means of serum cholesterol among those with and without abdominal aortic calcification. Hypertension was noticed in most patients with abdominal aortic calcification. The frequency of abdominal aortic calcification is directly related to age and duration of dialysis. The only biochemical parameter with a statistically significant effect was serum cholesterol.