Department of Internal Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
Department of Nephrology and Transplantation, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
Clin Exp Nephrol. 2019 Oct;23(10):1250-1256. doi: 10.1007/s10157-019-01761-2. Epub 2019 Jun 27.
Low fetuin-A levels in hemodialysis patients can be associated with development of vascular and valvular calcifications. The mechanisms underlying vascular and valvular calcifications are multifactorial. There are a few studies showing the relationship between low fetuin-A levels and valvular calcification after kidney transplantation. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum fetuin-A levels and valvular calcification in kidney transplant recipients.
The cardiac valvular calcification was assessed by echocardiography in 56 recipients. Patients were divided into two groups as those with (n = 11) and without (n = 45) aortic and/or mitral valve calcification. The extent of valvular calcification was visually assessed according to the standard visual score method: moderately (multiple larger spots) and heavily calcified (extensive thickening and calcification) of all cusps. Serum fetuin-A levels were measured.
The demographic features of both groups were comparable. There was no significant difference between regular physical exercise (63.6% vs. 55.6%), obesity (18.2% vs. 17.8%), abdominal obesity (54.5% vs. 46.7%), smoking (0% vs. 13.3%), hypertension (63.6% vs. 68.9%), left ventricular hypertrophy (45.5% vs. 33.3%) and diabetes mellitus (9.1% vs. 20%) ratios in groups with or without valvular calcification, respectively (p > 0.05). Fetuin-A levels of both groups did not differ. Fetuin-A levels positively correlated with serum creatinine (r 0.326, p = 0.014), and negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (r - 0.297, p = 0.026).
We could not find a relationship between serum fetuin-A levels and valvular calcification in kidney recipients. In this population, further studies are needed to assess the role of serum fetuin-A in valvular calcification.
血液透析患者中低胎球蛋白 A 水平与血管和瓣膜钙化的发展有关。血管和瓣膜钙化的机制是多因素的。有一些研究表明，低胎球蛋白 A 水平与肾移植后瓣膜钙化之间存在关系。我们旨在评估肾移植受者血清胎球蛋白 A 水平与瓣膜钙化之间的关系。
通过超声心动图评估 56 例受者的心脏瓣膜钙化。患者分为两组：有（n=11）和无（n=45）主动脉瓣和/或二尖瓣钙化。根据标准视觉评分法评估瓣膜钙化的程度：所有瓣膜均有（多个较大斑点）或重度钙化（广泛增厚和钙化）。测量血清胎球蛋白 A 水平。
两组的人口统计学特征相似。两组在定期体育锻炼（63.6%对 55.6%）、肥胖（18.2%对 17.8%）、腹部肥胖（54.5%对 46.7%）、吸烟（0%对 13.3%）、高血压（63.6%对 68.9%）、左心室肥厚（45.5%对 33.3%）和糖尿病（9.1%对 20%）的比例方面均无显著差异（p>0.05）。两组的胎球蛋白 A 水平无差异。胎球蛋白 A 水平与血清肌酐呈正相关（r=0.326，p=0.014），与估算肾小球滤过率呈负相关（r=-0.297，p=0.026）。
我们未发现肾移植受者血清胎球蛋白 A 水平与瓣膜钙化之间存在关系。在该人群中，需要进一步研究来评估血清胎球蛋白 A 在瓣膜钙化中的作用。
