Low ankle-brachial index is associated with early-stage chronic kidney disease in type 2 diabetic patients independent of albuminuria

Association between serum lipoprotein(a) and mildly reduced eGFR: a cross-sectional study

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and aortic stenosis. However, the data on the relationship between Lp(a) and mildly reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) has been disputed. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between Lp(a) concentrations and mildly reduced eGFR in healthy subjects.This community-based, cross-sectional study enrolled 1,064 volunteers aged ≥ 40 years who lived in Yonghong Community, Zhonglou District, Changzhou, China, between December 2016 and December 2017. A mildly reduced eGFR was defined as eGFR between 60 and 90 mL/min/1.73m2. A standardized questionnaire and biochemical measurements were used to gather information about participants. The serum concentration of Lp(a) was determined using the latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric test. Of the total study population, 34.8% (n = 370) were men, and the mean age was 66.8 ± 8.5 years. A significant association existed between Lp(a) levels and the risk of mildly reduced eGFR. Individuals with the highest tertile of Lp(a) had higher odds of mildly reduced eGFR after adjusting for various confounders (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-2.60, P = 0.0025) compared to those with the lowest tertile of Lp(a). Multivariable logistic regression of studies in which Lp(a) was presented as continuous variables showed consistent results (adjusted OR: 1.23 for 1-SD increment of Ln-Lp(a), 95% CI: 1.05-1.43). Subgroup analyses showed that study characteristics such as age, sex, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension status did not significantly affect the association (P for all interactions > 0.05). These results suggest that higher serum Lp(a) level was an independent risk factor for mildly reduced eGFR.

Association of a low ankle brachial index with progression to end-stage kidney disease in patients with advanced-stage diabetic kidney disease

INTRODUCTIONS

The effect of a low ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients with advanced-stage diabetic kidney disease is not fully understood. This study investigates the prevalence of a low ABI in patients with advanced-stage diabetic kidney disease, which was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥300 mg/g and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 15-60 mL/min/1.73 m². Furthermore, the association between a low ABI and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) was determined.

METHODS

This single-center, retrospective, cohort study included 529 patients with advanced-stage diabetic kidney disease who were stratified into groups according to the ABI: high (>1.3), normal (0.9-1.3), and low (<0.9). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional analysis were used to examine the association between the ABI and ESKD.

RESULTS

A total of 42.5% of patients with a low ABI progressed to ESKD. A low ABI was associated with a greater risk of ESKD (hazard ratio (HR): 1.073). After adjusting for traditional chronic kidney disease risk factors, a low ABI remained associated with a greater risk of ESKD (HR: 1.758; 95% confidence interval: 1.243-2.487; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that patients with a low ABI should be monitored carefully. Furthermore, preventive therapy should be considered to improve the long-term kidney survival of patients with residual kidney function.

Peripheral Artery Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Survival Analysis of an Ecuadorian Population in Primary Care

Background

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is used for diagnosis of PAD.

Objectives

Establish the prevalence and incidence rate for PAD and determine the associated factors and survival time for the development of PAD.

Methods

Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study (follow up: 10 years) in 578 DM patients with at least 1 ABI measurement in a primary level of care diabetes clinic. Data was collected from clinical records. Sociodemographic and laboratory variables were analyzed determining its association (mean difference and bivariate logistic regression). Survival was calculated through life tables and Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results

The prevalence of PAD was 13.98%. The incidence rate through the time of follow up was 23.38 per 1000 person-year (95% CI: 19.91-27.26). The group that developed PAD showed higher glycated hemoglobin levels ( P = .025), more years of DM ( P < .001) and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR, P = .003). The median time for developing PAD was 26.97 years (95% CI: 26.89-27.05). The risk for PAD was higher in females (95% CI: 1.51-4.38), GFR <60 mL/min/m2 (95% CI: 1.05-2.22) and use of metformin plus insulin (95% CI: 1.10-2.35).

Conclusion

Half of a DM patient’s population in primary level of care will develop PAD in the third decade of disease. There are identifiable risk factors for PAD development in DM in the primary level of care such as low GFR, female sex, and use of metformin plus insulin.

Ankle-Brachial Index is a Predictor of Future Incident Chronic Kidney Disease in a General Japanese Population

AIMS

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) can be a prognostic marker for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Western populations. Since there is little relevant evidence for Asian populations, we investigated the relationship between ABI and the risk of incident CKD in a general Japanese population.

METHODS

The cohort included 5,072 participants aged 30-79 without a history of renal disease or cerebro-cardiovascular disease. Incident CKD, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate ＜60 (mL/min/1.73 m2) and/or proteinuria (≥ 1＋ on urine dipstick), was compared among participants grouped according to baseline ABI: 0.90-0.99, 1.00-1.09, 1.10-1.19, 1.20-1.29, and 1.30-1.39. Hazard ratios for incident CKD were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model, with the ABI 1.10-1.19 group serving as the reference.

RESULTS

The CKD incidence rate (/100 person-years) was 1.80 during the mean follow-up period of 5.1 years. The CKD incidence rate was 3.04 in the ABI category 0.90-0.99, 1.58 in ABI 1.00-1.09, 1.72 in ABI 1.10-1.19, 2.01 in ABI 1.20-1.29, and 3.33 in ABI 1.30-1.39. The hazard ratios for developing CKD were 2.14 (95% confidence interval 1.16-3.92) in ABI 0.90-0.99, 1.08 (0.83-1.41) in ABI 1.00-1.09, 1.03 (0.83-1.29) in ABI 1.20-1.29, and 1.37 (0.77-2.47) in ABI 1.30-1.39, after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and other confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

In a general Japanese population, an ABI of 0.90-0.99 was associated with an increased risk of incident CKD, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Association of Mild-to-Moderate Reduction in Glomerular Filtration Rate with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

Due to loss of hormonal protective effects, postmenopausal women have an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a well-established risk factor for CV disease, but little is known whether mild-to-moderate kidney dysfunction is associated with atherosclerosis burden in the postmenopausal asymptomatic women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subclinical atherosclerosis was evaluated in 125 postmenopausal women with no clinical form of atherosclerosis, by carotid and femoral ultrasonography, ankle-brachial index (ABI), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Carotid and femoral atherosclerosis were defined as increased intima-media thickness (IMT) and/or the presence of plaques. Endothelial function was assessed by endothelial dependent (flow-mediated dilation at 1 minute [FMD₁]) and independent (flow-mediated dilation after nitroglycerin [FMD_NTG]) vasodilation. Classical CV risk factors (age, smoking, obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, and lipids) were evaluated. Kidney function was evaluated in terms of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated by the CKD-EPI formula. Univariate linear regression and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate the independent associations between kidney function and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.

RESULTS

In the unadjusted linear analysis, eGFR showed a significant negative association with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis: carotid IMT (R² = 0.305; p < 0.001), femoral IMT (R² = 0.19, p < 0.001), carotid plaques (R² = 0.22; p < 0.001), femoral plaques (R² = 0.09; p = 0.0005), ABI (R² = 0.05; p = 0.01), FMD₁ (R² = 0.45; p < 0.001), and FMD_NTG (R² = 0.205, p < 0.001). After adjustment for classical CV risk factors the association remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Mild-to-moderate reduced eGFR is related to subclinical atherosclerosis, independent of traditional CV risk factors. It is important to detect renal function decline, even if it is mild, to improve risk stratification of subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.

Prevalence of macro- and microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease with or without albuminuria in a single Chinese Diabetes Centre

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and low ankle-brachial index in mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease of type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODS

We enrolled 875 type 2 diabetic patients who were divided into two phenotypes (with or without albuminuria) and stratified into three groups (stage 1 with estimated glomerular filtration rate ⩾ 90 mL/min/1.73 m(2), stage 2 with estimated glomerular filtration rate of 60-89, stage 3 with estimated glomerular filtration rate of 30-59). The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and low ankle-brachial index was compared and the risk factors of renal impairment were determined.

RESULTS

Among chronic kidney disease stages, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy increased from 42.5%, 56.6% to 66.7% in albuminuric subjects and from 29.4%, 33.0% to 50.0% with no significant trend in normoalbuminuric subjects (p = 0.005, 0.007 and 0.399 compared with albuminuric subjects in each stage). There was a significantly increased prevalence of low ankle-brachial index (17.5%, 22.6% and 44.4%) in normoalbuminuric subjects but no significant trend in albuminuric subjects. Diabetic retinopathy (odds ratio = 2.474, 95% confidence interval = 1.009-6.068) was an independent risk factor of declining kidney function in albuminuric patients.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was graded according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate declining in albuminuric patients while the prevalence of low ankle-brachial index was gradually increased in normoalbuminuric patients, indicating the diverse underlying mechanisms of mild to moderate chronic kidney disease between these two phenotypes.