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Background and Objectives: recent studies suggest an implication of immune mechanisms in atherosclerotic disease. In this paper, the interaction between inflammation, calcification, and atherosclerosis on the vessel walls of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is described and evaluated. Materials and Methods: patients with stage V CKD, either on pre-dialysis (group A) or on hemodialysis (HD) for at least 2 years (group B), in whom a radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) was created, were included in the study. The control group included healthy volunteers who received radial artery surgery after an accident. The expressions of inflammatory cells, myofibroblasts, and vascular calcification regulators on the vascular wall were estimated, and, moreover, morphometric analysis was performed. Results: the expressions of CD68(+) cells, matrix carboxyglutamic acid proteins (MGPs), the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB (RANK) and RANK ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG), were significantly increased in CKD patients compared to the controls p = 0.02; p = 0.006; p = 0.01; and p = 0.006, respectively. In morphometric analysis, the I/M and L/I ratios had significant differences between CKD patients and the controls 0.3534 ± 0.20 vs. 0.1520 ± 0.865, p = 0.003, and 2.1709 ± 1.568 vs. 4.9958 ± 3.2975, p = 0.03, respectively. The independent variables correlated with the degree of vascular calcification were the intensity of CD34(+), aSMA(+) cells, and OPG, R2 = 0.76, p < 0.0001, and, with intima-media thickness (IMT), the severity of RANKL expression R2 = 0.3, p < 0.0001. Conclusion: atherosclerosis and vascular calcification in CKD seem to be strongly regulated by an immunological and inflammatory activation on the vascular wall.

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Background and Aims Recent studies suggest thw possibility of activating immune mechanism in the onset and progression of atherosclerotic disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of immune mechanisms in the vessel of patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and the association with clinical and laboratory indicators of atherosclerosis. Method Patients with CKD stage V, in whom a radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (RC-AVF) was created, were included in the study. Patients were divided in two groups, group A was consisted of patients who were on stage V, pre-dialysis, and being prepared to start on hemodialysis (HD), and those who had already been on HD for at least 3 years, and were having a new RC-AVF formation, due to previous failure, group B. Inclusion criteria were: age 25-80 years, gradual deterioration of renal function up to stage V or under dialysis for more than 3 years. All patients should have been under close follow up for at least 3 years prior to enrolment, with adequate control of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism and anemia. The control group included healthy volunteers of similar age, sex and ethnicity, who agreed to have a radial artery biopsy during an orthopedic procedure because of a fracture. All patients were informed and signed the consent form. Patients’ history, primary disease and comorbid conditions, medication and clinical examination were recorded based on hospital outpatients’ files. Prior to the scheduled day of RC-AVF creation, all patients underwent laboratory examination, included hematological and serum biochemical analyses. The histological characteristics, inflammatory activation and immunophenotypic alterations of the radial artery wall were estimated and their association with the severity of calcification and atherosclerosis were studied. Presence and severity of atherosclerotic lesions in CKD patients was assessed based on the measurement of common carotid intima – media thickness (IMT) of the common and internal carotid on both sides. Results Significant correlation was fount between inflammatory infiltration [expression of CD3(+), CD20(+), CD68(+) cells], cellular activation [CD34(+), a-SMA(+) cells] and calcification regulators (MPG, RANKL, OPG) with the degree of vascular calcification, as this was estimated and classified based on Verhoff’s Elastic and von Kossa staining Forty five patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), stage V, either pre-dialysis (p=25) (group A) or on hemodialysis (HD) (p=20) (group B) were included in the study. There were no significant differences in age, sex, race, and also in the frequency of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or smoking habits between patients and controls. Presence and severity of atherosclerotic lesions in CKD patients was assessed based on the measurement of common carotid intima – media thickness (IMT) of the common and internal carotid on both sides. Conclusion Atherosclerotic disease in Chronic KidnEy Disease and its clinical effects appear to be directly related to inflammatory ifiltration of blood vessels by T, B lymphocytes, macrophages and myofibrolasts, as well as factors that affect calcification.