Fibroblast growth factor 21 predicts arteriovenous fistula functional patency loss and mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction is a common complication in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Elevated serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality. However, its association with vascular access outcomes remains elusive. The present study evaluated the relationship of serum FGF21 levels with AVF dysfunction and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing MHD.

METHODS

We included patients undergoing MHD using AVF from January 2018 to December 2019. FGF21 concentration was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were followed up to record two clinical outcomes, AVF functional patency loss and all-cause mortality. The follow-up period ended on April 30, 2022.

RESULTS

Among 147 patients, the mean age was 58.49 ± 14.41 years, and the median serum level of FGF21 was 150.15 (70.57-318.01) pg/mL. During the median follow-up period of 40.83 months, the serum level of FGF21 was an independent risk factor for AVF functional patency loss (per 1 pg/mL increase, HR 1.002 [95% CI: 1.001-1.003, p = 0.003]). Patients with higher serum levels of FGF21 were more likely to suffer from all-cause mortality (per 1 pg/mL increase, HR 1.002 [95% CI: 1.000-1.003, p = 0.014]). The optimal cutoffs for FGF21 to predict AVF functional patency loss and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing MHD were 149.98 pg/mL and 146.43 pg/mL, with AUCs of 0.701 (95% CI: 0.606-0.796, p < 0.001) and 0.677 (95% CI: 0.595-0.752, p = 0.002), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum FGF21 levels were an independent risk factor and predictor for AVF functional patency loss and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing MHD.

Superiority of high sensitivity cardiac troponin I over NT-proBNP and adiponectin for 7-year mortality in stable patients receiving haemodialysis

Patients on haemodialysis (HD) have high mortality risk, and prognostic values of the major cardiovascular biomarkers cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and adiponectin should be ascertained over longer follow-up periods using higher-sensitivity assays, which we undertook. In 221 HD patients, levels of high-sensitivity (hs)-cTnI, NT-proBNP, and adiponectin, were measured using high-sensitivity assays, and their associations with all-cause mortality (ACM) and cardiovascular mortality (CVM) were prospectively investigated for 7 years. Higher hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP levels were significant risk factors for ACM and CVM in the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses in a model including hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP identified log hs-cTnI, but not log NT-proBNP, as an independent risk factor for ACM (HR 2.12, P < 0.02) and CVM (HR 4.48, P < 0.0005). Stepwise analyses identified a high hs-cTnI tertile as a risk factor for ACM (HR 2.31, P < 0.01) and CVM (HR 6.70, P < 0.001). The addition of hs-cTnI to a model including age, CRP, DM, and NT-proBNP significantly improved the discrimination of ACM and CVM each over 7 years. Conclusively, hs-cTnI was superior to NT-proBNP and adiponectin in predicting ACM and CVM over 7 years in HD patients, suggesting the significance of baseline hs-cTnI measurements in long-term management.

High sensitivity cardiac troponin, a cardiac marker predicting death in patients with kidney disease: a dose-response Meta-analysis of cohort studies

BACKGROUND

Patients with kidney disease are at increased risk of adverse mortality events. Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive association of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and I (hs-cTnI) with all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in patients with kidney disease; however, the dose-response meta-analysis have not been reported. We therefore performed this study to evaluate the dose-response associations of hs-cTn with risk of all-cause and CV mortality to improve risk stratification.

METHODS

We searched three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) to identify relevant prospective cohort studies published up to January 12, 2021. Random-effects models were used to summarize relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and CV mortality. Restricted cubic splines were used to fit the dose-response associations.

RESULTS

For each 10 ng/L increase in hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI, the risk increased by 14% (RR = 1.14, 95% CI, 1.10-1.18) and 19% (RR = 1.19, 95% CI, 1.09-1.31) for all-cause mortality, 25% (RR = 1.25, 95% CI, 1.13-1.38) and 19% (RR = 1.19, 95% CI, 1.10-1.29) for CV mortality. A linear trend was found between hs-cTnT and all-cause mortality, whereas a non-linear trend was found in hs-cTnI. Additionally, both hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI were shown to have linear trends with CV mortality.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis suggests that hs-cTn had high sensitivity in predicting mortality events. All dose-response trends were rising rather than falling, conferring that any increase in the levels of hs-cTn may possibly predict a death prognosis among CKD patients.

Troponin I Levels in Asymptomatic Hemodialysis Patients

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) represents a situation in which persistently elevated levels of cardiac troponins I (cTnI) are frequently found in the absence of clinically evident cardiac disease. Moreover, the effect of hemodialysis (HD) on cTnI levels is not definitively elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HD on cTnI levels in ESRD patients. Methods: We enrolled 30 asymptomatic ESRD patients on maintenance HD. All the patients were dialyzed thrice weekly. We compared each other's cTnI levels obtained before HD sessions (pre-HD) and cTnI levels obtained before and after HD sessions (post-HD). Results: The median value of baseline cTnI, measured before the first dialysis session of the week, was 0.018 ng/mL (interquartile range 0.012-0.051) and elevated levels (>0.034 ng/mL) were found in 9 (30%) patients. Pre-HD cTnI levels showed a statistically significant decrease between the first and the second weekly HD sessions (from 0.018 to 0.016 ng/mL; p = 0.002), while no difference was observed between the second and the third sessions over the week. Finally, no statistically significant differences were found between pre-HD and post-HD cTnI levels, considering each HD session and the averaged cTnI values. Conclusions: Our results indicate that HD does not significantly affect cTnI levels. Even when statistically significant, the observed changes were without clinical relevance indicating that HD does not affect by itself the diagnostic accuracy of cTnI assay in ESRD patients.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponins: no more 'negatives'

According to recently published expert guidelines, cardiac troponins are the only accepted biomarkers to define acute myocardial infarction. New high sensitivity cardiac troponin assays provide exciting opportunities for early rule-out and rule-in strategies and for identifying high-risk patients early in their presentation to guide early treatment and intervention. This review briefly discusses the history of troponin testing, before going on to cover clinical uses of the new highly sensitive assays in the early assessment of acute myocardial infection. Common clinical pitfalls with the use of these assays are discussed, as is the use of highly sensitive troponins more widely as prognostic markers. Likely future developments in this area are discussed.