Lipoprotein(a) levels predict endothelial dysfunction in maintenance hemodialysis patients: evidence from [VENDYS] vascular reactivity index assessment
- heartlung
- 29 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Ren Fail.2025 Dec;47(1):2581940.
Abstract
Background: Patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) present endothelial dysfunction (ED), which is characterized by impaired vasodilation and a pro-inflammatory state. Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) has pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic properties. No study has investigated the association between serum Lp(a) and ED in patients with MHD. This study was conducted to address this issue.
Methods: We collected serum specimens from 123 fasting MHD patients. The endothelial function was measured using the vascular reactivity index (VRI) determined by digital thermal monitoring, and VRI values of ≥ 2.0, 1.0 to <2.0, and < 1.0, indicated good, intermediate, and poor vascular reactivity, respectively. Lp(a) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Of the 123 MHD patients, 54 (43.9%) had good VRI, 51 (41.5%) had intermediate VRI, and 18 (14.6%) had poor VRI. Serum Lp(a) levels (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the poor and intermediate VRI groups than in the good VRI group. The log-transformed serum Lp(a) (log-Lp(a); p < 0.001) showed a negative correlation with VRI values. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that serum Lp(a) level was independently associated with vascular reactivity dysfunction (both intermediate and poor VRI; p = 0.001) and poor vascular reactivity (poor VRI; p < 0.001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.754 and 0.853 for predicting vascular reactivity dysfunction and poor vascular reactivity, respectively, by Lp(a).
Conclusion: The serum Lp(a) level had a negative correlation with the VRI, and it may serve as a potential biomarker for early detection of ED in MHD patients.
Keywords: Endothelial dysfunction; hemodialysis; lipoprotein(a); vascular reactivity index.
