Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Vitamin K deficiency in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could potentially occur due to multiple factors, leading to an increased risk of vascular and valvular calcifications. Vitamin K status can be indirectly assessed by measuring the blood levels of vitamin K...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marcel Palamar, Iulia Dana Grosu, Adalbert Schiller, Ligia Petrica, Madalina Bodea, Alexandru Sircuta, Elisabeta Gruescu, Oana Daniela Matei, Maria Daniela Tanasescu, Ionut Golet, Flaviu Bob
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Biomedicines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/48
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832589054828347392
author Marcel Palamar
Iulia Dana Grosu
Adalbert Schiller
Ligia Petrica
Madalina Bodea
Alexandru Sircuta
Elisabeta Gruescu
Oana Daniela Matei
Maria Daniela Tanasescu
Ionut Golet
Flaviu Bob
author_facet Marcel Palamar
Iulia Dana Grosu
Adalbert Schiller
Ligia Petrica
Madalina Bodea
Alexandru Sircuta
Elisabeta Gruescu
Oana Daniela Matei
Maria Daniela Tanasescu
Ionut Golet
Flaviu Bob
author_sort Marcel Palamar
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Vitamin K deficiency in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could potentially occur due to multiple factors, leading to an increased risk of vascular and valvular calcifications. Vitamin K status can be indirectly assessed by measuring the blood levels of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs), such as matrix GLA protein (MGP). This study aims to examine the relationship between the levels of inactive MGP (dp-uc MGP) and the presence of valvular calcifications, as well as its association with mortality in hemodialysis patients. <b>Methods</b>: We conducted a single-center study that included 45 CKD G5D patients (hemodialysis for 6 months to 10 years) followed up for 24 months. All patients have been assessed at baseline regarding cardiovascular disease (medical history, echocardiography). Moreover, using standard methods, we determined blood biochemistry, complete blood count, and matrix GLA protein. At 24 months of follow-up, we assessed all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. <b>Results</b>: In the studied hemodialysis patients, mean dp-uc MGP was 3285.93 +/− 2092.85 pmol/L. Patients with valvular calcifications had higher levels of dp-uc MGP compared to those without (4521.08 +/− 2263.82 vs. 2487.53 +/− 1446.94 pmol/L, however not statistically significant). The presence and severity of valvular calcifications were significantly associated with the history of treatment with vitamin K antagonists (<i>p</i> < 0.05). After 24 months of follow-up, we found an all-cause mortality rate of 24.4%. The level of dp-uc MGP was higher in the group of patients that died (3884.81 +/− 2439.20 vs. 3133.09 +/− 1925.26 pmol/L, <i>p</i> > 0.05). Patients with more than one valvular calcification on echocardiography had a significantly higher all-cause mortality risk (<i>p</i> = 0.04). In terms of traditional risk factors, we observed an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with a history of diabetes mellitus (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and aortic stenosis (<i>p</i> = 0.01). However, other cardiovascular markers, such as coronary heart disease and ejection fraction < 50%, did not have a statistically significant impact on mortality in our patients. <b>Conclusions</b>: In our study, we found that vitamin K deficiency, measured indirectly using the level of VKDP, especially dp-uc MGP, is a predictor of valvular calcifications. Severe valvular calcifications, aortic stenosis, and the presence of diabetes mellitus are risk factors for all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients.
format Article
id doaj-art-87342d8601054016a8ec4123b263e003
institution Kabale University
issn 2227-9059
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Biomedicines
spelling doaj-art-87342d8601054016a8ec4123b263e0032025-01-24T13:23:50ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592024-12-011314810.3390/biomedicines13010048Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis PatientsMarcel Palamar0Iulia Dana Grosu1Adalbert Schiller2Ligia Petrica3Madalina Bodea4Alexandru Sircuta5Elisabeta Gruescu6Oana Daniela Matei7Maria Daniela Tanasescu8Ionut Golet9Flaviu Bob10Department of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, RomaniaDeva Emergency County Hospital, 330004 Deva, RomaniaDeva Emergency County Hospital, 330004 Deva, RomaniaNephrology, Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, 050098 Bucuresti, RomaniaDepartment of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of the West Timisoara, 300223 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Internal Medicine II—Nephrology University Clinic, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Vitamin K deficiency in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could potentially occur due to multiple factors, leading to an increased risk of vascular and valvular calcifications. Vitamin K status can be indirectly assessed by measuring the blood levels of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs), such as matrix GLA protein (MGP). This study aims to examine the relationship between the levels of inactive MGP (dp-uc MGP) and the presence of valvular calcifications, as well as its association with mortality in hemodialysis patients. <b>Methods</b>: We conducted a single-center study that included 45 CKD G5D patients (hemodialysis for 6 months to 10 years) followed up for 24 months. All patients have been assessed at baseline regarding cardiovascular disease (medical history, echocardiography). Moreover, using standard methods, we determined blood biochemistry, complete blood count, and matrix GLA protein. At 24 months of follow-up, we assessed all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. <b>Results</b>: In the studied hemodialysis patients, mean dp-uc MGP was 3285.93 +/− 2092.85 pmol/L. Patients with valvular calcifications had higher levels of dp-uc MGP compared to those without (4521.08 +/− 2263.82 vs. 2487.53 +/− 1446.94 pmol/L, however not statistically significant). The presence and severity of valvular calcifications were significantly associated with the history of treatment with vitamin K antagonists (<i>p</i> < 0.05). After 24 months of follow-up, we found an all-cause mortality rate of 24.4%. The level of dp-uc MGP was higher in the group of patients that died (3884.81 +/− 2439.20 vs. 3133.09 +/− 1925.26 pmol/L, <i>p</i> > 0.05). Patients with more than one valvular calcification on echocardiography had a significantly higher all-cause mortality risk (<i>p</i> = 0.04). In terms of traditional risk factors, we observed an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with a history of diabetes mellitus (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and aortic stenosis (<i>p</i> = 0.01). However, other cardiovascular markers, such as coronary heart disease and ejection fraction < 50%, did not have a statistically significant impact on mortality in our patients. <b>Conclusions</b>: In our study, we found that vitamin K deficiency, measured indirectly using the level of VKDP, especially dp-uc MGP, is a predictor of valvular calcifications. Severe valvular calcifications, aortic stenosis, and the presence of diabetes mellitus are risk factors for all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/48hemodialysiscalcificationsvitamin Kosteocalcinmatrix Gla protein
spellingShingle Marcel Palamar
Iulia Dana Grosu
Adalbert Schiller
Ligia Petrica
Madalina Bodea
Alexandru Sircuta
Elisabeta Gruescu
Oana Daniela Matei
Maria Daniela Tanasescu
Ionut Golet
Flaviu Bob
Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
Biomedicines
hemodialysis
calcifications
vitamin K
osteocalcin
matrix Gla protein
title Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
title_full Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
title_fullStr Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
title_full_unstemmed Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
title_short Vitamin K-Dependent Proteins as Predictors of Valvular Calcifications and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
title_sort vitamin k dependent proteins as predictors of valvular calcifications and mortality in hemodialysis patients
topic hemodialysis
calcifications
vitamin K
osteocalcin
matrix Gla protein
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/48
work_keys_str_mv AT marcelpalamar vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT iuliadanagrosu vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT adalbertschiller vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT ligiapetrica vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT madalinabodea vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT alexandrusircuta vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT elisabetagruescu vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT oanadanielamatei vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT mariadanielatanasescu vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT ionutgolet vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients
AT flaviubob vitaminkdependentproteinsaspredictorsofvalvularcalcificationsandmortalityinhemodialysispatients