Serum Lipoprotein(a) Levels as a Predictor of Aortic Stiffness in Patients on Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis

Background: Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality in patients with kidney failure. Aortic stiffness (AS), measured primarily by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), reflects vascular aging and precedes end -organ failure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum Lp(a) levels and cfPWV in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Material/Methods: In this cross-sectional study, which included 148 patients with long-term PD for end-stage kidney failure, cfPWV was measured using a cuff-based method. AS was defined as a cfPWV exceeding 10 m/s, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine serum Lp(a) levels. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the clinical correlates of AS. Results: There were 32 (21.6%) patients diagnosed with AS. Based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for AS was 1.007 (95% confidence interval, 1.003-1.011; P =0.001) for every 1 mg/L increase in Lp(a) levels. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that Lp(a) ( P <0.001), age ( P =0.003), waist circumference ( P =0.008), systolic blood pressure ( P =0.010), and diabetes mellitus ( P <0.001) were positively associated with cfPWV. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for Lp(a) in differentiating AS from non -AS was 0.770 (95% confidence interval, 0.694-0.835; P <0.0001). Conclusions: Serum Lp(a) level was independently associated with cfPWV and AS in patients with PD.