Risk factors associated with valvular calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease. Analysis of NEFRONA study

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Subclinical cardiac structural alterations have prognostic value in these patients. The aim was to analyse the prevalence of valvular calcification, the evolution and the relationship with different risk factors. Material and methods: Part of the sample of the NEFRONA study was randomly selected. Aortic and mitral valve calcification were analysed in echocardiograms performed at the baseline visit and at 24 months. Results: We included 397 patients, the estimated basal glomerular filtrate (eGFR) was 33 ml/min with significant decrease to 30.9 ml/min. There was an increase in the area of carotid and femoral plaque, as well as an increase in patients with aortic and mitral calcification at 24 months. A positive association of mitral calcification at 24 months with age, ankle-brachial index (ABI) and calcium-phosphorus product (CaxP) at baseline visit was observed, without association with eGFR. Aortic calcification at 24 months was positively associated with age, phosphorous and total carotid plaque area at baseline, with no relationship to eGFR. Conclusions: A significant prevalence of valvular calcification was observed in patients with CKD without known cardiovascular disease.Two-year progression was observed independently of the eGFR. Patients with higher risk of mitral valve calcification were those with older age, higher ABI and CaxP product. Patients with a higher risk of aortic calcification were those with older age, higher phosphorous levels and larger area of carotid plaque. Identifying these higher risk patients would help to avoid future cardiovascular events intensifying follow-ups. Resumen: Introducción: Los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) tiene alto riesgo de morbimortalidad cardiovascular. Las alteraciones estructurales cardiacas subclínicas tienen valor pronóstico en estos pacientes. El objetivo fue estudiar la calcificación valvular, su evolución y relación con diferentes factores de riesgo. Material y métodos: Se seleccionó aleatoriamente parte de la muestra del estudio NEFRONA analizando la calcificación valvular aórtica y mitral en ecocardiogramas de la visita basal y a los 24 meses. Resultados: Se estudiaron 397 pacientes con filtrado glomerular estimado (FGE) basal de 33 ml/min/1.73 m2 con disminución significativa hasta 30.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 Se produjo aumento del área de placa carotidea y femoral, así como aumento de los pacientes con calcificación valvular a los 24 meses. Se observó asociación positiva de la calcificación mitral a 24 meses con la edad, el índice tobillo brazo (ITB) y el producto calcio fósforo (CaxP) basal, sin asociación con el FGE. La calcificación aórtica a los 24 meses presentó asociación positiva con el área total de placa carotidea, el fósforo y la edad basal, sin relación con el FGE. Conclusiones: Se objetivó en pacientes con ERC, sin enfermedad cardiovascular conocida progresión de la calcificación valvular a dos años independientemente del FGE. Presentaron mayor calcificación valvular mitral aquellos de mayor edad, mayor ITB y producto CaxP. Presentaron mayor calcificación valvular aórtica aquellos de mayor edad, mayores niveles de fósforo y mayor área total de placa carotidea. La identificación de estos pacientes con mayor riesgo, podría ayudar a evitar eventos cardiovasculares futuros intensificando el seguimiento.

Keywords

• Calcificación valvular
• Factores de riesgo
• Enfermedad renal crónica
• Estudio nefrona