Table 1.
Baseline patient characteristics presented as tertiles of plasma ADMA
| Renal transplant recipients tertiles of ADMA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall (N = 686) | Tertile 1 (N = 249) | Tertile 2 (N = 213) | Tertile 3 (N = 224) | P value | |
| ADMA (µmol/L) | 0.61 ± 0.12 | ≤0.56 | 0.57–0.65 | ≥0.66 | <0.001 |
| Demographics | |||||
| Age, years | 53 ± 13 | 50 ± 13 | 54 ± 12 | 55 ± 13 | <0.001 |
| Male gender | 390 (57) | 127 (51) | 125 (59) | 138 (62) | 0.05 |
| Current smoker, n (%) | 82 (13) | 29 (13) | 31 (15) | 22 (11) | 0.38 |
| Current diabetes, n (%) | 165 (24) | 51 (21) | 51 (24) | 63 (28) | 0.15 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27 ± 5 | 27 ± 5 | 27 ± 5 | 27 ± 5 | 0.84 |
| BSA, m2 | 1.94 ± 0.22 | 1.94 ± 0.19 | 1.95 ± 0.22 | 1.94 ± 0.22 | 0.72 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mmHg | 136 ± 17 | 136 ± 16 | 135 ± 18 | 138 ± 15 | 0.26 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg | 83 ± 11 | 83 ± 10 | 82 ± 12 | 82 ± 11 | 0.44 |
| Heart rate, bpm | 69 ± 12 | 69 ± 13 | 68 ± 12 | 69 ± 11 | 0.61 |
| Renal transplantation | |||||
| Transplant vintage, years | 5.4 [1.9–12.1] | 5.2 [2.2–10.8] | 5.2 [2.0–11.6] | 6.1 [1.6–14.0] | 0.51 |
| Living donor, n (%) | 229 (34) | 103 (42) | 70 (34) | 56 (26) | 0.001 |
| Pre-emptive KTx, n (%) | 112 (16) | 51 (21) | 33 (16) | 28 (13) | 0.06 |
| HLA mismatches, n | 2 [1–3] | 2 [1–3] | 2 [1–3] | 2 [1–3] | 0.31 |
| Age donor, years | 43 ± 16 | 40 ± 16 | 43 ± 15 | 45 ± 15 | 0.009 |
| Acute rejection, n (%) | 181 (26) | 65 (26) | 54 (26) | 62 (28) | 0.86 |
| Laboratory measurements | |||||
| Hemoglobin, mmol/L | 8.2 ± 1.1 | 8.3 ± 1.0 | 8.2 ± 1.1 | 8.1 ± 1.2 | 0.09 |
| HbA1C, % | 6.0 ± 0.8 | 5.9 ± 0.8 | 6.0 ± 0.8 | 6.0 ± 0.9 | 0.59 |
| eGFR, CKD-EPI (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 52.2 ± 20.2 | 57.9 ± 21.4 | 51.2 ± 18.4 | 46.9 ± 19.0 | <0.001 |
| Corrected calcium mmol/L | 2.34 ± 0.15 | 2.33 ± 0.15 | 2.35 ± 0.14 | 2.35 ± 0.14 | 0.42 |
| Phosphate, mmol/L | 0.97 ± 0.21 | 0.94 ± 0.21 | 0.96 ± 0.21 | 1.01 ± 0.21 | 0.002 |
| Magnesium, mmol/L | 0.95 ± 0.12 | 0.95 ± 0.12 | 0.95 ± 0.13 | 0.96 ± 0.12 | 0.81 |
| PTH, pmol/L | 8.9 [5.9–14.7] | 8.1 [5.6–12.0] | 8.7 [6.2–15.4] | 11.0 [6.5–17.3] | 0.001 |
| Venous pH | 7.37 ± 0.04 | 7.37 ± 0.04 | 7.37 ± 0.04 | 7.36 ± 0.04 | 0.009 |
| Venous HCO3 −, mmol/L | 24.6 ± 3.1 | 24.8 ± 2.9 | 24.8 ± 3.2 | 24.2 ± 3.2 | 0.07 |
| hsCRP, mg/L | 1.6 [0.7–4.5] | 1.6 [0.7–4.6] | 1.8 [0.6–5.0] | 1.5 [0.8–4.4] | 0.91 |
| Albumin, g/L | 43.0 ± 3.0 | 43.6 ± 2.8 | 42.9 ± 2.8 | 42.4 ± 3.2 | <0.001 |
| Alkaline phosphatase, U/L | 67 [54–83] | 66 [51–79] | 67 [56–82] | 69 [54–92] | 0.12 |
| FGF-23, pg/mL | 61 [43–99] | 54 [39–82] | 60 [46–93] | 75 [53–126] | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol/L | 5.0 [4.4–5.8] | 5.1 [4.4–5.8] | 5.0 [4.4–5.8] | 5.1 [4.2–5.9] | 0.95 |
| HDL cholesterol, mmol/L | 1.3 [1.1–1.6] | 1.4 [1.1–1.7] | 1.3 [1.1–1.7] | 1.3 [1.0–1.5] | 0.002 |
| LDL cholesterol, mmol/L | 2.9 [2.3–3.5] | 2.9 [2.4–3.5] | 2.9 [2.2–3.5] | 2.9 [2.3–3.6] | 0.83 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/L | 1.68 [1.25–2.30] | 1.63 [1.13–2.23] | 1.73 [1.29–2.43] | 1.69 [1.28–2.3] | 0.17 |
| NT-pro-BNP, ng/L | 252 [108–634 | 150 [76–405] | 229 [109–565] | 396 [185–1086] | <0.001 |
| Albuminuria, mg/24 h | 40 [11–177] | 29 [8–154] | 28 [10–103] | 83 [13–300] | 0.001 |
| Medication | |||||
| Anti-hypertensives, n (%) | 606 (88) | 212 (85) | 190 (89) | 204 (91) | 0.12 |
| Statins, n (%) | 361 (53) | 132 (53) | 105 (50) | 361 (53) | 0.45 |
| Calcium supplements, n (%) | 147 (21) | 46 (19) | 46 (22) | 55 (25) | 0.27 |
| Vitamin D supplements | 168 (25) | 63 (25) | 44 (21) | 61 (27) | 0.26 |
| Vitamin K antagonists | 77 (11) | 19 (8) | 22 (10) | 36 (16) | 0.01 |
| Prednisone, mg/d | 10 [7.5–10] | 10 [7.5–10] | 10 [7.5–10] | 10 [7.5–10] | 0.19 |
| Calcineurin inhibitors | 391 (57) | 120 (48) | 134 (63) | 137 (61) | 0.002 |
| Proliferation inhibitor | 572 (83) | 222 (89) | 171 (80) | 179 (80) | 0.009 |
| Sirolimus | 13 (2) | 5 (2) | 7 (3) | 1 (1) | 0.10 |
Data are presented as mean ± SD, number (percentage) or median (IQR). Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis or χ2-test when appropriate. Bold indicates statistical significance (P < 0.05)
ADMA asymmetrical dimethylarginine, BSA body surface area, eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate, HbA1c glycated hemoglobin, HCO −3 bicarbonate, HDL high-density lipoprotein, HLA human leukocyte antigen, hsCRP high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, KTx kidney transplantation, LDL low-density lipoprotein, PTH parathyroid hormone