Cardiac valve calcification is associated with presence and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease

• Published in: Clinical and experimental nephrology Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 1090 - 1097
• Main Authors: Kim, Il Young, Kim, Min Jung, Lee, Dong Won, Lee, Soo Bong, Shin, Min Ji, Rhee, Harin, Yang, Byeong Yun, Song, Sang Heon, Seong, Eun Young, Kwak, Ihm Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.12.2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aortic Valve - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Valve - pathology; Aortic Valve Stenosis - complications; Aortic Valve Stenosis - diagnostic imaging; Calcinosis - complications; Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease - complications; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Female; Glomerular Filtration Rate; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve - pathology; Nephrology; Original Article; Renal Dialysis; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - complications; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - diagnostic imaging; Ultrasonography; Urology; Cardiac valve calcification; Coronary artery disease; Chronic kidney disease
• ISSN: 1342-1751; 1437-7799; 1437-7799
• DOI: 10.1007/s10157-015-1104-4

Background Cardiac valve calcification is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the one of major causes for increased cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients. We hypothesized that cardiac valve calcification is associated with the presence and the severity of CAD in pre-dialysis CKD patients. Methods This study included 1166 patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography for assessment of cardiac valve calcification and coronary angiography for assessment of CAD. The patients were divided into two groups according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): pre-dialysis CKD group ( n  = 215, eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ) and non-CKD group ( n  = 951, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ). Results In the pre-dialysis CKD group, subjects with aortic valve calcification (AVC), mitral valve calcification (MVC), and at least one valve calcification had more severe CAD compared with those without AVC, MVC, and any valve calcification. Multivariate analysis showed that pre-dialysis CKD patients who had AVC, MVC, and at least one valve calcification were 3.02 times ( P  = 0.033), 3.73 times ( P  = 0.029), and 3.31 times ( P  = 0.012) more likely to have CAD compared with those without AVC, MVC, and any valve calcification, respectively. However, in the non-CKD group, there was no association between cardiac valve calcification and the severity/presence of CAD. Conclusions Cardiac valve calcification is associated with the presence and severity of CAD in pre-dialysis CKD. Assessment of cardiac valve calcification by means of transthoracic echocardiography could be a valuable non-invasive method for CAD risk stratification in pre-dialysis CKD patients.