Serum fatty acid binding protein 4 levels are associated with abdominal aortic calcification in peritoneal dialysis patients

Ren Fail. 2021 Dec;43(1):1539-1548. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2021.2003205.

Abstract

Background: Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is an adipokine that was mainly derived from adipocytes and macrophages. Vascular calcification (VC) is highly prevalent in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and could predict their cardiovascular mortality. The pathogenesis of VC is complex, and adipokines may play an important role in it. This study aimed to examine the relationship between serum FABP4 and VC in PD patients.

Methods: Serum FABP4 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. According to the median value of serum FABP4, the participants were divided into the low FABP4 group and the high FABP4 group. Lateral plain X-ray films of abdomen were used to evaluate the abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) score. The participants were divided into the high AAC score group (AAC score ≥4, indicating moderate or heavy VC) and the low AAC score group (AAC score <4, indicating no or mild VC).

Results: 116 PD patients were involved in the study. The AAC score and the proportion of patients with an AAC score ≥4 of the high FABP4 group were significantly higher than those of the low FABP4 group. Serum FABP4 of the high AAC score group was significantly higher than that of the low AAC score group [164.5 (138.4, 362.8) ng/mL versus 144.7 (123.8, 170.1) ng/mL, p = 0.002]. Serum FABP4 was positively associated with the AAC score according to the multivariate linear regression analysis. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum FABP4 was the independent influencer of an AAC score ≥4.

Conclusions: Serum FABP4 is positively associated with the AAC score and is an independent marker of AAC in PD patients.

Keywords: Adipokine; CKD-MBD; FABP4; peritoneal dialysis; vascular calcification.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aorta, Abdominal / diagnostic imaging
  • Aorta, Abdominal / pathology*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Peritoneal Dialysis / adverse effects*
  • Radiography / methods
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / blood*
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / therapy
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Vascular Calcification / blood*
  • Vascular Calcification / diagnosis
  • Vascular Calcification / epidemiology

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 81873619 and 81570663 to Aihua Zhang; Key Clinical Program of Peking University Third Hospital under Grant BYSYZD2019039 to Xiaoxiao Wang; Project 2020BD030 supported by PKU-Baidu Fund and China International Medical Foundation under Grant Z-2017-24-2037 to Wen Tang.