Dual factor pulse pressure: body mass index and outcome in type 2 diabetic subjects on maintenance hemodialysis. A longitudinal study 2003-2006.

Background: Inverse associations between risk factors and mortality have been reported in epidemiological studies of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to estimate the effect of the dual variable pulse pressure (PP) - body mass index (BMI) on cardiovascular (CV) events and death in type 2 diabetic (T2D) subjects on MHD in a Caribbean population.

Methods: Eighty Afro-Caribbean T2D patients on MHD were studied prospectively from 2003 to 2006. Proportional-hazard modeling was used.

Results: Of all, 23.8% had a high PP (PP > or = 75th percentile), 76.3% had BMI < 30 Kg/m(2), 21.3% had the dual factor high PP - absence of obesity. During the study period, 23 patients died and 13 CV events occurred. In the presence of the dual variable and after adjustment for age, gender, duration of MHD, and pre-existing CV complications, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) of CV events and death were respectively 2.7 (0.8-8.3); P = 0.09 and 2.4 (1.1-5.9); P = 0.04.

Conclusions: The dual factor, high PP - absence of obesity, is a prognosis factor of outcome. In type 2 diabetics on MHD, a specific management strategy should be proposed in nonobese subjects with wide pulse pressure in order to decrease or prevent the incidence of fatal and nonfatal events.