Cardiovascular risk among a group of patients with chronic kidney disease: an experience of a comparative study from a low middle income country

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is evident that traditional risk factors as well as uraemia related non-traditional risk factors are responsible for the increased CVD risk in CKD patients. Objective:The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of selected cardiovascular risk factors among patients with end stage renal disease with controls.Method: Fifty (men=38) consecutive patients with ESRD, awaiting kidney transplant at Teaching Hospitals, Karapitiya and Kandy were included in the study. The control group included 50 age and sex-matched healthy individuals. Data were collected using a questionnaire followed by anthropometric and blood pressure measurements. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) serum total cholesterol (TCh), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-Ch), phosphorous (SPho), corrected calcium (SCCa), creatinine (SCr), albumin (SAl), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vitamin D (vit.D) concentrations and blood glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. The mean age of the patient group was 44(10) years.Results: Compared to controls, mean TCh (p<0.001), LDL (p<0.001), SCCa (p<0.001) and S.Al (p<0.001) levels were significantly lower among patients. HbA1c (p=0.053), SPho (p=0.001) and SCr (p<0.001) levels were significantly higher among patients with CKD compared to controls. In patients' median serum vit.D (p=0.001) level was significantly lower while serum Hs-CRP (p=0.001) and IL-6 (p=0.003) levels were significantly higher, compared to controls.