Kidney Week

Abstract: TH-PO1064

Serum Myostatin Is Independently Associated with Endothelial Dysfunction in Non-Dialysis CKD Stages 3 to 5

Session Information

• CKD Progression and Complications: Diagnosis, Prognosis, Risk Factors
  November 02, 2023 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Pennsylvania Convention Center
  Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

• 2302 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Clinical, Outcomes, and Trials

Authors

• Chang, Ho-Hsiang, Division of Nephrology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

Ho-Hsiang Chang,

• Lai, Yu-Hsien, Division of Nephrology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

Yu-Hsien Lai,

• Hsu, Bang-Gee, Division of Nephrology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan

Bang-Gee Hsu,

Background

Myostatin expressed by skeletal muscle cells where it limits muscle growth and promotes protein breakdown and may have a role in obesity, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease. However, its relationship with endothelial function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains inconclusive. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum myostatin levels and endothelial function in patients with stages 3–5 CKD.

Methods

Fasting blood samples were obtained from 136 CKD patients. Serum myostatin levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The endothelial function, demonstrated as a vascular reactivity index (VRI), was measured noninvasively through digital thermal monitoring test. The serum myostatin levels were determined using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In this study, VRI < 1.0 was used as the poor vascular reactivity, 1.0 ≤ VRI < 2.0 was used as the intermediate vascular reactivity, and VRI ≥ 2.0 was used as the good vascular reactivity.

Results

25 CKD patients (18.4%) were categorized as poor vascular reactivity (VRI < 1.0), 63 CKD patients (46.3%) were categorized as intermediate vascular reactivity (1.0 ≤ VRI < 2.0), and 48 CKD patients (35.3%) had good vascular reactivity. Older age (p = 0.026), higher serum blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.020), creatinine (p = 0.021), urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR, p = 0.015), and higher serum myostatin level was associated, while lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was associated with poor vascular reactivity. After multivariable forward stepwise linear regression analysis noted that older age (β = −0.331, adjusted R² change = 0.081, p < 0.001), serum creatinine (β = −0.273, adjusted R² change = 0.070, p = 0.001) and log-transformed myostatin level (β = −0.256, adjusted R² change = 0.057, p = 0.002) were significantly and independently negatively associated with VRI values in patients with CKD.

Conclusion

Myostatin together with old age and serum creatinine is negatively associated with VRI values and is a potential endothelial function modulator and a valuable biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in patients with CKD.