Lower Serum Selenoprotein P Levels Are Associated with Aortic Stiffness in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis

Background/Objectives: Selenoprotein P (SePP) has been linked to cardiovascular risk, but its relationship with aortic stiffness in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) is unclear. This study examined that association. Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 138 patients on MHD, serum SePP levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured using the SphygmoCor system. Aortic stiffness was defined as a cfPWV of >10 m/s. Associations of SePP with cfPWV and aortic stiffness were assessed by correlation, linear regression, and penalized logistic regression. Results: Fifty-six patients (40.6%) had aortic stiffness and had lower serum SePP levels than those without aortic stiffness (p = 0.001). Patients with aortic stiffness were older (p = 0.037) and had higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.005), higher glucose (p = 0.021) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.021) levels, and a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.034) and hypertension (p = 0.006). Log-transformed SePP was independently and inversely associated with log-transformed cfPWV in both the forward stepwise and forced-entry models (p < 0.001 for both). By Spearman’s analysis, SePP was negatively correlated with cfPWV (p < 0.001). After adjustment for significant covariates, higher SePP levels remained independently associated with lower odds of aortic stiffness in multivariable and penalized logistic regression models. Conclusions: Lower serum SePP levels were independently associated with higher cfPWV and greater odds of aortic stiffness in patients receiving MHD.