Vascular calcification and disordered mineral metabolism in dialysis patients.

Vascular calcification is an active, cell-mediated process that can involve either the intima or media of the blood vessels. The current methods used to clinically measure vascular calcification cannot distinguish between intimal (invariably atherosclerotic) and medial calcification. The high calcification scores seen in patients with end-stage renal disease likely represent a composite of high calcification burden in both sites.