Independent association between serum sclerostin levels and carotid artery atherosclerosis in prevalent haemodialysis patients.

Background: Sclerostin is a soluble inhibitor of the Wnt signalling pathway and has been shown to be associated with decreased bone turnover and vascular and/or valvular calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) assessment and common carotid artery (CCA) plaque identification with ultrasound imaging are well-recognized tools for the identification and monitoring of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the circulating levels of sclerostin might be associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis in prevalent haemodialysis patients.

Serum sclerostin levels, arteriovenous fistula calcification and 2-years all-cause mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients.

Background: Bone and mineral abnormalities, and cardiovascular calcification are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recent studies have implicated Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of bone metabolism and vascular calcification. Sclerostin is a soluble inhibitor of Wnt signaling pathway and has been shown to be associated with decreased bone turnover and vascular calcification in CKD patients.

Urinary sodium excretion and ambulatory blood pressure findings in patients with hypertension.

Use of ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) allows for identification of dipping, nondipping, extreme dipping, and reverse dipping of BP. Using office BP and ABPM, hypertension subtypes can be identified: sustained normotension (SNT), white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension, and sustained hypertension. The comparison of hemodynamic parameters and salt intake has not been investigated among these patient groups.

Prevalence of severe carotid artery stenosis and its association with echocardiographic parameters in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of significant carotid stenosis in maintenance hemodialysis patients and to identify biochemical and echocardiographic predictors of significant carotid stenosis in those patients.

Study Design: One hundred and seventeen maintenance hemodialysis patients were included in this study. Echocardiography biochemical tests and carotid artery Doppler ultrasonography were performed in all patients.

Sclerostin as a new key player in arteriovenous fistula calcification.

Background: The osteocyte-derived sclerostin has been shown to play a key inhibitor role in determining the normal extent of bone formation, and it consequently protects against the deleterious effects of uncontrolled bone growth. Sclerostin has been demonstrated to be upregulated during vascular smooth muscle cell calcification in vitro and has recently been identified in the human aorta at the protein level. Whether the effects of sclerostin on bone turnover and its vascular expression also translate into clinically significant changes in arteriovenous fistula patency is unknown.