Key result
In stable kidney transplant recipients, the duration of pre-transplant renal insufficiency independently increased the risk for the presence of calcified carotid plaques.
Why the study?
Carotid atherosclerosis is a major cerebrovascular complication in kidney transplant recipients, but the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque characteristics remained to be clarified.
What are the clinical risk factors associated with increased carotid IMT and the presence of calcified carotid plaques in stable kidney transplant recipients?
Cross-Sectional (n=500)
What are the clinical risk factors associated with increased carotid IMT and the presence of calcified carotid plaques in stable kidney transplant recipients?
Effect estimate: r partial = 0.235
p-value: p=<0.001
IMT-plaque divergence in KTRs cautions against IMT-only assessment; leaves open integrated plaque evaluation in prospective studies.
Background: Carotid atherosclerosis is one of the main cerebrovascular complications in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). We analyzed the relationships between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the occurrence and characteristics of carotid plaques in a cohort of KTRs. Methods: In 500 KTRs (aged 49.9 ± 12.0 years), IMT was measured and carotid plaques were semi-qualitatively assessed. Concomitantly, biochemical and hormonal inflammatory, vascular and calcium-phosphate metabolism parameters were also assessed. Results: In 10.2% of patients, a side-to-side IMT difference >0.1 mm was observed, whereas 26.8% of patients with no plaques in one carotid artery had at least one contralateral calcified plaque. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (rpartial = 0.409; p < 0.001), male sex (rpartial = 0.199; p < 0.001), and coronary artery disease (rpartial = 0.139; p < 0.01) independently increased IMT (R2 = 0.25). For the occurrence of calcified carotid plaques, age (rpartial = 0.544; p < 0.001), male gender (rpartial = 0.127; p < 0.05), and the duration of renal insufficiency prior to transplantation (rpartial = 0.235; p < 0.001) were confirmed as independent variables. Conclusions: Substantial side-to-side differences in IMT values and carotid plaques distribution are present in a large percentage of stable KTRs. In addition, there are different clinical risk factors profiles associated with IMT and the presence of calcified plaques. Vascular and calcium-phosphate metabolism biomarkers were not associated with any carotid atherosclerosis characteristics.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Kolonko et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients (n=500). Duration of pre-transplant renal insufficiency was evaluated on Occurrence of calcified carotid plaques (r partial = 0.235, p=<0.001). In stable kidney transplant recipients, the duration of pre-transplant renal insufficiency independently increased the risk for the presence of calcified carotid plaques.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: