Serum Osteoprotegerin Is an Independent Marker of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Systolic and Diastolic Dysfunction of the Left Ventricle and the Presence of Pericardial Fluid in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Diastolic Dysfunction of the Left and Right Ventricles in Patients with Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Storage Disease and Osteoarthritis

The frequency and risk factors for the development of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in patients with CPPD and OA have not been studied. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and identify risk factors (RF) for the development of DD of the left and right ventricles (LV and RV) in patients with calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition disease (CPPD) and osteoarthritis (OA). The study included 26 patients with CPPD and with knee OA 18-65 years old, matched in age and gender, without cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), and rheumatic diseases. Conventional risk factors (TRF) of CVD were assessed, and echocardiography was performed. The frequency of DD in patients with CPPD and OA was quite high and almost did not differ in both groups: it was detected in 19 patients, of which 11 (42%) had CPPD and 8 (31%) had OA (p = 0.39). Type 1 LV DD was detected in 10 (39%) patients with CPPD and in 8 (31%) with OA (p = 0.11); type 1RV DD was detected in 8 (31%) patients with CPPD and in 7 (27%) patients with OA (p = 0.17); and type 1 LV DD and RV DD was detected in 7 (27%) patients with both CPPD and with OA. DD types 2 and 3 were not detected in both groups. There were no differences in both groups in CV risk factors, except for the level of CRP (it was higher in CPPD) (p = 0.03). In the CPPD group, mean values of LV E/E' (p = 0.02), LVDT (p = 0.03), LVMI (p = 0.04) were significantly higher than in patients with OA. On the contrary, in patients with OA, indices EDV (p = 0.004) and TVC (p = 0.02) were higher. There were direct correlations between diastolic function indices and the following factors in CPPD: LVL, PWLV and PTH level (r = 0.7, p <0.005), LV E' and PTH level (r = 0.7, p < 0.005). Inverse correlations were found between the level of PTH and IS (r = -0.5, p < 0.005), LVMI (r = -0.5, p < 0.005), and the level of vitamin D and VDDT (r = -0.6, p < 0.005). Direct correlations in OA were found between the level of CRP and PVAdiast (r = 0.6, p < 0.005), and the level of sUA (r = 0.7, p < 0.005), and the level of vitamin D and E/E'LV (r = 0.6, p < 0.005). A high prevalence of LV and RV DD was found in patients with CPPD and OA. The presence of DD in CPPD was associated with lower vitamin D levels, and in OA with a higher level of sUA and a lower level of PTH.

Chronic kidney disease associated cardiomyopathy: recent advances and future perspectives

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiomyopathy in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex condition with multiple triggers and poor prognosis. This review provides an overview of recent advances in CKD-associated cardiomyopathy, with a focus on pathophysiology, newly discovered biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

RECENT FINDINGS

CKD is associated with a specific pattern of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, resulting in diastolic and systolic dysfunction, and often triggered by nonatherosclerotic processes. Novel biomarkers, including amino-terminal type III procollagen peptide (PIIINP), carboxy-terminal type I procollagen peptide (PICP), FGF23, marinobufagenin, and several miRNAs, show promise for early detection and risk stratification. Treatment options for CKD-associated cardiomyopathy are limited. Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce left ventricle hypertrophy and improve ejection fraction in individuals with diabetes and mild CKD, and are currently under investigation for more advanced stages of CKD. In hemodialysis patients calcimimetic etelcalcetide resulted in a significant reduction in left ventricular mass.

SUMMARY

CKD-associated cardiomyopathy is a common and severe complication in CKD. The identification of novel biomarkers may lead to future therapeutic targets. Randomized clinical trials in individuals with more advanced CKD would be well posed to expand treatment options for this debilitating condition.

Circulating osteoprotegerin levels and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: results from the KNOW-CKD study

While the relationship between circulating osteoprotegerin (OPG) and cardiovascular events is well-established in the general population, its association with cardiovascular risks in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remains less robust. This study hypothesized that elevated circulating OPG levels might be associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in CKD patients, a total of 2,109 patients with CKD stages 1 through pre-dialysis 5 from the KNOW-CKD cohort were categorized into quartiles based on serum OPG levels. The primary outcome of the study was 3-point MACE, defined as a composite of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiac death. The median follow-up duration was 7.9 years. The cumulative incidence of 3-point MACE significantly varied across serum OPG levels in Kaplan-Meier curve analysis (P < 0.001, log-rank test), with the highest incidence observed in the 4th quartile. Cox regression analysis indicated that, relative to the 1st quartile, the risk of 3-point MACE was significantly higher in the 3rd (adjusted hazard ratio 2.901, 95% confidence interval 1.009 to 8.341) and the 4th quartiles (adjusted hazard ratio 4.347, 95% confidence interval 1.410 to 13.395). In conclusion, elevated circulating OPG levels are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in pre-dialysis CKD patients.

Circulating osteoprotegerin as a cardiac biomarker for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: the KNOW-CKD study

BACKGROUND

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and diagnosis is challenging. Moreover, no specific biomarker for HFpEF has been validated in patients with CKD. The present study aimed to investigate the association between serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels and the risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), a surrogate of HFpEF, in patients with pre-dialysis CKD.

METHODS

A total of 2039 patients with CKD at stage 1 to pre-dialysis 5 were categorized into quartiles (Q1 to Q4) by serum OPG levels, and were cross-sectionally analyzed. The study outcome was LVDD, which was operationally defined as the ratio of early transmitral blood flow velocity to early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e') > 14.

RESULTS

In the analysis of baseline characteristics, higher serum OPG levels were clearly related to the risk factors of HFpEF. A scatter plot analysis revealed a moderate correlation between serum OPG levels and E/e' (R = 0.351, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of LVDD in Q3 (adjusted odds ratio 2.576, 95% confidence interval 1.279 to 5.188) and Q4 (adjusted odds ratio 3.536, 95% confidence interval 1.657 to 7.544) was significantly higher than that in Q1.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated serum OPG levels are associated with the risk of LVDD in patients with pre-dialysis CKD. The measurement of serum OPG levels may help the diagnosis of LVDD, which is an important echocardiographic feature of HFpEF.

Causal effects for genetic variants of osteoprotegerin on the risk of acute myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Although since the 1980s, the mortality of coronary heart disease(CHD) has obviously decreased due to the rise of coronary intervention, the mortality and disability of CHD were still high in some countries. Etiological studies of acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and CHD were extremely important. In this study, we used two-sample Mendelian randomization(TSMR) method to collect GWAS statistics of osteoprotegerin (OPG), AMI and CHD to reveal the causal relationship between OPG and these two diseases. In total, we identified 7 genetic variants associated with AMI and 7 genetic variants associated with CHD that were not found to be in linkage disequilibrium(LD; r ² < 0.001). Evidence of a positive effect of an OPG genetic susceptibility on AMI was discovered(IVW OR = 0.877; 95% CI = 0.787-0.977; p = 0.017; 7 SNPs) and CHD (IVW OR = 0.892; 95% CI = 0.803-0.991; p = 0.033; 7 SNPs). After removing the influence of rs1385492, we found that there was a correlation between OPG and AMI/CHD (AMI: weighted median OR = 0.818;95% CI = 0.724-0.950; p = 0.001; 6SNPs;CHD: weighted median OR = 0.842; 95% CI = 0.755-0.938; p = 1.893 × 10^-3; 6SNPs). The findings of our study indicated that OPG had a tight genetic causation association with MI or CHD. This genetic causal relationship presented us with fresh ideas for the etiology of AMI and CHD, which is an area of research that will continue in the future.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Not Treated with Dialysis

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is observed in the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may lead to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between metabolic, nutritional and inflammatory parameters and LVDD in CKD and non-CKD patients.

METHODS

Two groups of patients were recruited to the study: 93 men with CKD and eGFR lower than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 40 men without kidney function decrease with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to evaluate the diastolic function of the left ventricle. Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) was used to measure overhydration and lean body mass. We also measured the serum concentrations of albumin, glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c), fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and osteoprotegerin (OPG).

RESULTS

We observed that elevated serum fibrinogen and glucose concentrations were associated with LVDD independently of CKD status. Serum fibrinogen concentrations increased with the advancement of LVDD. Low albumin concentrations in CKD were related with LVDD. In the control group, lower muscle mass presented as lean tissue index (LTI) and lean tissue mass (LTM), and overhydration were associated with LVDD. In the group of patients without kidney function decrease the OPG concentrations were significantly higher in those with LVDD, and they rose with the advancement of LVDD.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated inflammatory parameters, increased serum glucose concentrations and worse nutritional status are the states that may impair the diastolic function of the left ventricle in CKD and non-CKD patients. Serum OPG levels are elevated in patients without kidney function decrease and LVDD and its concentrations rise with the advancement of LVDD.