Relationship between serum albumin and pulse wave velocity in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Original Research

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Authors: Li-Tao Cheng, Li-Jun Tang, Hui-Min Chen, Wen Tang, Tao Wang

Published Date September 2008 Volume 2008:4(4) Pages 871 - 876

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/VHRM.S1864

Li-Tao Cheng¹, Li-Jun Tang^1,2, Hui-Min Chen^1,3, Wen Tang¹, Tao Wang¹

¹Division of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; ²Division of Nephrology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji’nan, China; ³Division of Cardiology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China

Background: Hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality in dialysis patients, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Meanwhile, increased pulse wave velocity (PWV), the marker of arterial stiffness, has been proved to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. The relationship between serum albumin and PWV in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients (CAPD) was studied.

Methods: Sixty-two CAPD patients were studied. The average age was 63 ± 12 years and dialysis duration was 23 ± 22 months. Serum albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and carotid-femoral PWV were measured.

Results: Among these patients, 43.5% were men. The mean serum albumin concentration was 37 ± 4 g/L and PWV was 11.9 ± 2.3 m/s. PWV positively correlated with age (r = 0.35, P < 0.01), diabetes (yes = 1, no = 0; r = 0.292, P < 0.05), systolic blood pressure (SBP; r = 0.493, P < 0.001) and CRP (r = 0.295, P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with serum albumin (r = −0.357, P < 0.01). In multiple regression analysis, SBP (β = 0.615, P < 0.001), age (β = 0.414, P < 0.01), albumin (β = −0.315, P < 0.05) and total cholesterol (β = 0.275, P < 0.05) were independent determinants of PWV. In a non-inflamed subgroup (CRP < 3 mg/L, n = 30), albumin still negatively correlated with PWV (r = −0.66, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Serum albumin inversely correlated with increased PWV in CAPD patients, suggesting that increased arterial stiffness might be the link between hypoalbuminemia and increased cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients.

Keywords: hypoalbuminemia, cardiovascular events, pulse wave velocity, arterial stiffness, peritoneal dialysis

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