Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 Is Not a Single Bystander in Chronic Kidney Disease Mortality

Meta-Analysis of the Association between Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in Hemodialysis Patients

INTRODUCTION

This study was conducted to ensure the correlation between fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and death and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search of PubMed database to April 2018 for relevant articles that reported the association between FGF23 and risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The meta-analysis was performed using the Revman 5.3 software.

RESULTS

A total of 7 articles were included, and all reported mortality in hemodialysis patients, and 3 reported cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients. Since the current reagent can detect C-terminal FGF23 (cFGF23) and intact-FGF23 (iFGF23), we discuss the association between cFGF23 and iFGF23 and death and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients. The correlation between serum iFGF23 levels and death in hemodialysis patients: high levels of iFGF23 vs. low levels of iFGF23: RR 1.14, 95% CI (1.01-1.30), p = 0.04 (I2 = 0%, p = 0.38). The correlation between serum C-terminal levels and death in hemodialysis patients: high levels of cFGF23 versus low levels of cFGF23: RR 1.39, 95% CI (1.21-1.59), p < 0.001 (I2 = 2%, p = 0.38). The correlation of serum iFGF23 levels with cardiovascular events: high levels of iFGF23 versus low levels of iFGF23: RR 1.21, 95% CI (1.13-1.30), p < 0.001 (I2 = 0%, p = 0.49). A paper has reported the association between cFGF23 and CVD events, so we did not conduct meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated serum FGF23 levels are positively associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients, with a 14 or 39% increase in all-cause mortality and a 21% increased risk of cardiovascular events.