Vascular Calcification in Dialysis Patients

Thirty-four patients (26.35%) showed VC. There were no differences between PVC and NVC patients for duration of dialysis (38.4 ± 27.7 for PVC and 34.6 ± 31.2 months for NVC, P = .80), levels of serum Ca (P = .26), P (P = .19), CaxP (P = .33), ALP (P = .89), or iPTH (P = .24). Similarly, oral calcium and 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 intake were not different between the two groups (P = .971 and P = .3710 respectively). Compared to NVC patients, PVC patients were older (56.3 ± 10.4 versus 47.5 ± 16.1 years, P = .008) and had a greater incidence of NIDDM (17/34 PVC and diabetic versus 20/95 NVC, P = .001). In conclusion, for patients with a medium length of dialysis, the duration of dialysis as well as the doses of calcium salts and of 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 were not significantly associated with vascular calcifications, but it was not possible to exclude a role for these and other factors in patients with longer dialysis.