ASN's Mission

To create a world without kidney diseases, the ASN Alliance for Kidney Health elevates care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world.

learn more

Contact ASN

1401 H St, NW, Ste 900, Washington, DC 20005

email@asn-online.org

202-640-4660

The Latest on X

Kidney Week

ASN / Education & Meetings / Kidney Week /

Please note that you are viewing an archived section from 2023 and some content may be unavailable. To unlock all content for 2023, please visit the archives.

Abstract: FR-PO997

Homocysteine Is Associated with Kidney Injury and Increased Arterial Stiffness

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2303 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Mechanisms

Authors

  • Piko, Nejc, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
  • Bevc, Sebastjan, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
  • Hojs, Radovan, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
  • Petreski, Tadej, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
  • Varda, Luka, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
  • Ekart, Robert, Univerzitetni Klinicni Center Maribor, Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
Background

Homocysteine (Hcy) promotes atherogenesis and is elevated in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Few studies addressed the association between Hcy, different markers of kidney injury and arterial stiffness (AS).

Methods

127 patients (70.9% male, mean age 65.0±9.2 years, 78.7% hypertensive, and 20.5% diabetics) were admitted due to elective coronarography. The immunoassay method was used to measure serum Hcy (mmol/L) and cystatin C (CysC, mg/L). Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined by Hcy≥15 (Group 1, n=37), and patients with Hcy<15 were included in Group 2 (n=90). Albuminuria was expressed as UACR (mg/g). The glomerular filtration rate was estimated (eGFR) by the CKD-EPI 2009 equation (ml/min/1.73 m2). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV, m/s) was used as a marker of AS (SphygmoCor®, Atcor, Australia). SPSS® (version 22) was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Mean Hcy was 14.1±5.7, eGFR 75.5±17.2, CysC 1.1±0.7, UACR 25.9±35.7 and cfPWV 10.3±2.7. Spearman's test showed a significant correlation between Hcy and CysC (rs=0.608, p<0.001), UACR (rs=0.264, p=0.004), eGFR (rs=-0.485, p<0.001) and between Hcy and cfPWV (rs=0.328, p<0.001). Group 1 had lower eGFR (62.4±21.5 vs 80.3±12.2, p<0.001), higher cysC (1.5±1.2 vs 0.9±0.2, p<0.001), higher UACR (49.6±57.5 vs 16.5±13.7, p<0.001), and higher cfPWV (11.5±3.3 vs 9.6±2.1, p<0.001). No difference was observed in comorbidities or medications. Multiple regression analysis (independent variables gender, age, diabetes, hypertension) confirmed a correlation between Hcy and eGFR (β=-0.535, p<0.001), UACR (β=0.331, p<0.001) and cysC (β=0.561, p<0.001). Hcy was higher in patients with lower eGFR (Figure 1). An independent correlation was also found between Hcy and cfPWV (β=0.238, p=0.005) and age and cfPWV (β=0.407, p<0.001). No association was found between cfPWV/Hcy and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Conclusion

Serum Hcy is associated with decreased eGFR, increased UACR, increased cysC and increased AS, but not CAD.