High serum β2‐microglobulin is a significant predictor of mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Valvular calcification in chronic kidney disease: new insights from recent clinical and preclinical studies

Valvular calcification, developing either in the mitral or the aortic valve, is highly prevalent in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD), in whom their presence correlates with higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk. To date, the exact mechanisms that promote heart valve calcification remain unclear, and none of the treatments tested so far have shown efficacy in preventing valvular fibrocalcific remodelling. It is therefore essential to improve our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathological process if we are to find new, effective therapies. The purpose of this review is to (i) summarize our current knowledge of the mechanisms by which CKD and related therapies affect valvular cell activity, (ii) present the latest therapeutic targets identified in preclinical studies, and (iii) discuss the most recent clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of therapies aimed at preventing valvular calcification in CKD.

High inflammatory indices are significant predictors of disease severity in maintenance hemodialysis patients with COVID-19: A cross-sectional study

Background

The patients with kidney failure who undergo maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) at high risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Previous studies showed that inflammation plays an important role in the progression of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the inflammatory indices in MHD patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We included 141 patients receive MHD in this single-center. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by a positive result in RT-PCR analysis of nasal and pharyngeal swab samples, and the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023 were reviewed. Inflammatory indices including PLR, NLR and SII were calculated. Binary logistics regression was used to examine the association between inflammatory indices and SARS-CoV-2 infection in MHD patients. The ROC curves were used to detect the sensitivity and specificity of these inflammatory indices in prediction of SARS-CoV-2 infection status in MHD patients.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in 76.43 % of the 141 MHD patients. Lymphocyte (LY), aspartate transaminase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA), PLR, NLR and SII were significant predictors of no SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, LY, serum ferritin (SF), AST, BUN, UA, PLR and NLR were significant predictors of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ROC curves showed the best sensitivity and specificity of PLR (66.7 % sensitivity; 68.8 % specificity) and NLR (51.9 % sensitivity; 86.3 % specificity) in predicting symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusion

PLR and NLR can be used as simple and inexpensive biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of COVID-19 in MHD patients.

Effects of overhydration, Kt/Vurea, β2-microglobulin on coronary artery calcification and mortality in haemodialysis patients

AIM

We studied the effects of overhydration (OH), Kt/Vurea and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) on coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

The Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS), postdialysis body composition using bioimpedance analysis, single-pool Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG at baseline were assessed and followed up for 3 years in patients undergoing HD. We performed logistic regression analyses for a CACS ≥400 and Cox proportional hazard analyses for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS

The study involved 338 patients with a median age of 67 (56-74) years, dialysis duration of 70 (33-141) months and diabetes prevalence of 39.1% (132/338). Patients with a CACS ≥400 (n = 222) had significantly higher age, dialysis duration, male prevalence, diabetes prevalence, C-reactive protein, predialysis β2-MG, OH, extracellular water/total body water and overhydration/extracellular water (OH/ECW) but significantly lower Kt/Vurea than patients with a CACS <400 (n = 116) (p < .05). OH/ECW, Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG were significant predictors of a CACS ≥400 (p < .05) after adjusting for age, dialysis duration, serum phosphate and magnesium. In all patients, cut-off values of OH/ECW, Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG for a CACS ≥400 were 16%, 1.74 and 28 mg/L, respectively. After adjusting for dialysis duration, OH/ECW ≥16%, Kt/Vurea ≥1.74 and β2-MG ≥28 mg/L were significant predictors of 3-year all-cause mortality but not 3-year cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION

Higher OH/ECW, higher predialysis β2-MG and lower Kt/Vurea values are significant risk factors for a CACS ≥400 and 3-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing maintenance HD.