Correlations between Echocardiography Findings for Detection of Some Cardiovascular Morbidities in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure on Regular Haemodialysis and Some Blood Biomarkers Including Fetuin A (Case Control Study)

Background: In dialysis patients, both atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are highly prominent. Fetuin A is a glycoprotein produced predominantly by the liver in adults. Fetuin A is known as the most powerful systemic inhibitor of vascular calcification. Aim of Work: Is to study both carotid and valvular calcification in end-stage renal disease and some of biomarkers including fetuin-A, C-reactive protein (CRP), and Interlukin 6 (IL-6). Patients and Methods: Fifty three patients with (ESRD) aged (31.2±8.1 years); 32 patients were males and 21 were females, on regular haemodialysis (HD), divided into two groups; 27 of them of less than five years duration; and 26 of more than five years duration, compared with seventeen; apparently healthy persons. All studied persons were subjected to: CBC; lipid profile, serum albumin; calcium; phosphate; calculated calcium phosphate product (ca x p); serum for Fetuin-A, CRP, IL-6, performed by using ELISA kits. Doppler echocardiography. Results: There were sixteen patients with calcified valves (30.2%); 23 calcified carotid arteries (43.4%). Fetuin-A was significantly reduced (p=0.002), and no significant difference in both CRP (p=0.400); and IL-6 (p=0.464) between ESRD patients and controls. Conclusion: Patients with ESRD on chronic HD treatment are predisposed to morbidity from cardiovascular disease more than healthy persons. Controlling the process of vascular calcification (VC) can help patients with ESRD to limit these cardiovascular problems. Low fetuin-A was independent risk factor for VC which acts as inhibitory factor for this process.