Background: Inflammatory and procoagulant markers are potential mediators for the cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients. Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], is another important risk factor with inflammatory and procoagulant effects.
Materials and methods: In 78 hemodialysis patients and 40 controls, C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)], fibrinogen, D-dimer, von Wilebrand factor (vWF) and serum albumin were determined.
Results: CRP, IL-6, Lp(a), fibrinogen, D-dimer and vWF, were significantly higher, and serum albumin was significantly lower in patients compared to controls (24.40 mg/L vs. 6.39 mg/L, p<0.001; 1.92 pg/ml vs. 0.35 pg/ml, 28.05 mg/dL vs.16.25 mg/dL, p<0.001; 3.44 g/L vs. 2.55 g/L, p<0.01; 1.81 µgFEU /ml vs. 0.50 µgFEU /ml, p<0.01; 152.9 % vs. 85.6 %, p<0.001; 32.1 g/L vs. 40.50 g/L, p<0.001). The patients were divided into two groups: 40 patients with CRP levels over than 10 mg/L and 38 with CRP levels in normal range. These parameters showed significant differences between patients with elevated CRP and patients with normal CRP levels. CRP and IL-6 correlated positively with Lp(a), (r = 0.62, p < 0.001; r=0.54, p<0.001), fibrinogen, (r = 0.63, p < 0.001; r = 0.49, p<0.01) D dimer (r = 0.72, p<0.001; r = 0.55, p<0.01), vWF (r = 0.76, p<0.01; r = 0.63, p<0.001) and negatively with serum albumin (r = -0.80, p<0.01; r = -0.60, p<0.001), in patients with elevated CRP, but not in patients with normal CRP levels and controls.
Conclusion: According to the results hemodialysis patients with increased inflammatory markers, have the elevated Lp(a) and procoagulant markers and the greater risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Keywords: Lp(a); chronic hemodialysis; hypercoagulability; inflammation.