Malnutrition-inflammation-coronary calcification in pediatric patients receiving chronic hemodialysis

Malnutrition, inflammation, and renal osteodystrophy parameters with resultant coronary calcification (CC) are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in adults. Previous pediatric studies demonstrated CC in children but none assessed for an association between inflammation, malnutrition, renal osteodystrophy, and CC. To assess CC, ultrafast computerized tomogram was obtained for 16 pediatric patients (6 females; median age 17.2 years; range 9.1-21.2 years) receiving hemodialysis for >= 2 months. Inflammation was assessed by serum IL-6, IL-8, and C-reactive protein levels on the day of the computerized tomogram scan; nutrition parameters included serum albumin, cholesterol, the body mass index standard deviation score, and normalized protein catabolic rate. Renal osteodystrophy parameters included time-averaged serum calcium, phosphorus, total PTH, and calcitriol/calcium dose. Patients received hemodialysis thrice-weekly; mean single pool Kt/V 1.48 +/- 0.13; and mean normalized protein catabolic rate 1.27 +/- 0.17 g/kg/day. Five of 16 patients had CC. Patients with CC were older (19.1 +/- 2.1 vs. 15.4 +/- 3.1 months; P=0.03), had longer dialysis vintage (49.4 +/- 15.3 vs. 17.2 +/- 10.5 months, P=0.0002), lower serum cholesterol (122 +/- 17.7 vs. 160.4 +/- 10.6 mg/dL, P=0.02), and higher phosphorus (9.05 +/- 1.2 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.96 mg/dL, P=0.0001). Mean serum albumin and normalized protein catabolic rate did not differ for patients with CC. All patients had elevated IL-6 and IL-8 levels compared with healthy norms; the mean IL-6, IL-8, and C-reactive protein levels were not different in patients with CC. Coronary calcification was prevalent in older children receiving maintenance hemodialysis with a longer dialysis vintage. Worse renal osteodystrophy control and malnutrition (low cholesterol) may contribute to CC development.