Association of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and thoracic aorta calcification in maintenance hemodialysis patients with and without diabetes

• Main Authors: Chen, J. (Author), Chen, P. (Author), Jia, X. (Author), Kong, X. (Author), Li, Y. (Author), Song, G. (Author), Sun, C. (Author), Wang, L. (Author), Wei, K. (Author), Wei, Y. (Author), Xi, L. (Author), Xu, D. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central Ltd 2022
• Subjects: Aorta, Thoracic; biological marker; Biomarkers; Cross-Sectional Studies; cross-sectional study; Diabetes; diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus; diagnostic imaging; hemodialysis; human; Humans; Lipocalin-2; Maintenance hemodialysis; neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin; Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin; Renal Dialysis; thoracic aorta; Thoracic aorta calcification
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is not only a bone-derived factor involved in metabolism, but also a biomarker of kidney disease and cardiovascular pathophysiology. We conducted this cross-sectional observational study to explore relationships between plasma NGAL and thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with and without diabetes. Methods: Plasma NGAL was measured by ELISA, TAC was evaluated via computed tomography scan using a 3D quantification method or chest radiography aortic arch calcification score. Spearman correlation, Logistic regression and Partial correlation analysis were used to describe the correlations between NGAL and TAC. Results: Plasma NGAL levels were lower in MHD patients with diabetes compared to those without diabetes (49.33(42.37, 55.48) vs 56.78(44.37, 674.13) ng/mL, P = 0.026). In MHD patients without diabetes, lg (NGAL) was positively correlated with ARC value(R = 0.612, P = 0.003) analyzed by Spearman correlation; for partial correlation analysis, lg (NGAL) was positively correlated with ARC value, after adjusting for age and sex (R = 0.550, P = 0.015), adjusting for age, sex and CHD (R = 0.565, P = 0.015), adjusting for age, sex, CHD and Alb (R = 0.536, P = 0.027), or adjusting for age, sex, CHD, Alb, and dialyzer membrane (polysulfone) (R = 0.590, P = 0.016); however, when adjusting for age, sex, CHD, Alb and Ca, the correlation between lg (NGAL) and ARC value disappeared. Positive correlation were found between NGAL and Ca (R = 0.644, P < 0.001), Ca and ACR (R = 0.534, P = 0.013) in Spearman coefficient analysis. Conclusion: There were positive correlations among plasma NGAL, serum Ca and ARC in MHD patients without diabetes; which suggests that NGAL is possibly a participant in cardiovascular calcification, in non-diabetic MHD. © 2022, The Author(s).