Decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is not an independent risk factor of arterial stiffness in Chinese women

Recent studies suggest that decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and uric acid (UA) may be independent risk factors for arterial stiffness (AS). As serum UA level is linked to renal function, we hypothesize that decreased eGFR may be not an independent risk factor of AS, but may be related to UA level. In this study, we aimed to validate this hypothesis in a large community-based Chinese population. A total of 13,899 people were selected from the Cardiovascular Risk Survey (CRS) from October 2007 to March 2010. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was calculated using the established methods. The relationships between eGFR, fasting blood glucose (FBG), UA and PWV were analyzed with multivariate linear regression. We found that PWV was significantly correlated to FBG (r = 0.173, p < 0.001) and UA (r = 0.177, p < 0.001), and inversely correlated to eGFR (r = - 0.161, p < 0.001). A multivariable regression analysis revealed that FBG (β = 0.056, p < 0.001) and UA (β = 0.039, p < 0.001), but not eGFR (β = - 0.011, p = 0.062) were significantly related to elevation of PWV. In women, eGFR was not an independent risk factor of AS with progressively decreasing renal function (all p > 0.05). However, in men, eGFR was associated with PWV in subjects with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Our results suggest that decreased eGFR is not independently associated with AS in Chinese women.