Do higher dialysate calcium concentrations increase vascular stiffness in haemodialysis patients as measured by aortic pulse wave velocity?

Table 1 Demographics of patients dialysing against different dialysate calcium concentrations

Dialysate calcium	1.0 mmol/l	1.25 mmol/l	1.35 mmol/l	≥1.5 mmol/l
N	54	60	154	21
age yr	65.9 ± 16.7	64.9 ± 14.5	65.4 ± 15.7	73.4 ± 18.1
male (%)	53.7	65.0	64.9	57.1
weight kg	70.0 ± 15.4	71.6 ± 15.8	72.3 ± 17.9	67.3 ± 12,5
BMI kg/cm²	25.7 ± 4.8	26.0 ± 5.5	25.9 ± 5.6	25.4 ± 4.6
diabetic (%)	42.6	43.3	50	57.1
hypertension (%)	94.4*	81.7	74.0	76.2
heart disease (%)	27.8	13.3*	33.8	42.9
TIA/CVA (%)	14.8	13.3	15.6	9.5
PVD (%)	25.9	23.3	16.2	9.8
smoker (%)	7.4	11.7	7.5	9.5
ex-smoker (%)	22.2	23.3	30.6	21.3
AVF (%)	77.8	76.7	70.8	61.9
vintage mo	37.5(21–86)	30(12.3-67.5)	30(12–56)	27(13–56.5)
session h	4.02 ± 0.32*	3.96 ± 0.37	3.96 ± 0.39	3.75 ± 0.42

Results expressed as percentage (%), mean ± SD, or median (interquartile range). Body mass index (BMI), medical history hypertension, ischaemic heart disease (myocardial infarction, coronary artery stenting or bypass surgery), transient ischaemic attack or cerebrovascular accident (TIA/CVA) or peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Arteriovenous fistula (AVF), dialysis vintage in months (vintage mo), dialysis session time (session). Patients dialysing with dialysate calcium 1.5 mmol/l (n = 17) added to those dialysing using calcium 1.75 mmol/l (n = 4) summated due to low numbers. *p < 0.05 by Chi square analysis or anova with post hoc correction vs high calcium dialysate (≥1.5 mmol/l).

ISSN: 1471-2369