Table 1.
Characteristics of the 133 patients with ESRD with and without CAAC at the initiation of hemodialysis
| Variables | CAAC (+) | CAAC (-) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of patients | 94 (71) | 39 (29) | |
| Age (y) | 67.2 ± 10.1 | 58.3 ± 8.8 | < 0.01 |
| Male | 57 (61) | 20 (51) | 0.32 |
| Hypertension | 93 (99) | 32 (82) | < 0.01 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 58 (62) | 18 (46) | 0.10 |
| Dyslipidemia | 77 (82) | 25 (64) | 0.03 |
| Smoking | 45 (48) | 14 (36) | 0.20 |
| Previous CVD | 48 (51) | 4 (10) | < 0.01 |
| Calcium carbonate | 26 (28) | 13 (33) | 0.52 |
| Vitamin D3 | 14 (15) | 5 (13) | 0.75 |
| Dose of ESA (U/month) | 3000 (0-3000) | 1500 (0-3000) | 0.47 |
| Statins | 26 (28) | 5 (13) | 0.05 |
| ACEI and/or ARB | 50 (53) | 20 (51) | 0.84 |
| SBP (mm Hg) | 158 ± 20 | 150 ± 23 | 0.04 |
| DBP (mm Hg) | 79 ± 10 | 82 ± 11 | 0.13 |
| Pulse pressure (mm Hg) | 79 ± 16 | 68 ± 15 | < 0.01 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 20 (18-22) | 21 (19-23) | 0.04 |
| Blood urea nitrogen (mg/dL) | 92 (78-106) | 88 (78-120) | 0.76 |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dL) | 9.0 (7.6-10.2) | 9.6 (8.3-11.2) | 0.07 |
| Up/Ucr | 4.7 (2.3-8.0) | 3.7 (1.4-7.3) | 0.10 |
| Serum albumin (g/dL) | 3.1 ± 0.6 | 3.4 ± 0.6 | 0.06 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 8.1 ± 1.1 | 8.6 ± 1.5 | 0.02 |
| Ca-P product (mg2/dL2) | 53.6 (44.2-64.8) | 51.9 (42.8-61.4) | 0.44 |
| C-reactive protein (mg/dL) | 0.15 (0.05-0.44) | 0.06 (0.02-0.21) | 0.01 |
| intact-PTH (pg/mL) | 227 (150-315) | 260 (170-420) | 0.08 |
| CCA-IMT (mm) | 0.83 (0.72-1.10) | 0.71 (0.57-0.80) | < 0.01 |
| CAP | 77 (82) | 9 (23) | < 0.01 |
| Calcified plaque | 46 (49) | 0 (0) | < 0.01 |
| AAC | 67 (71) | 5 (13) | < 0.01 |
| Low ABI | 20 (22) | 1 (3) | < 0.01 |
Values are expressed as the mean ± SD, number (%), or median (interquartile range). Abbreviations: ESRD, end-stage renal disease; CAAC, carotid artery calcification; CVD, cardiovascular disease; ESA, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents; ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blockers; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; Up/Ucr, urinary protein-creatinine ratio; Ca-P, calcium-phosphorus; PTH, parathyroid hormone; CCA-IMT, common carotid artery-intima-media thickness; CAP carotid artery plaque; AAC, aortic arch calcification; ABI, ankle-brachial index.