ABSTRACT
Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are considered a high risk group of cardiovascular disease in which vascular calcifi cation plays central role. A pivotal role in the inhibition of calcifi cation is played by fetuin-A. Th e measurement of infl ammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine which promotes atherosclerosis is helpful in predicting cardiovascular disease in ESRD patients on regular dialysis. Material and Method: Th e study included 40 adult CKD patients divided into 30 ESRD patients on conventional hemodialysis, 15 with CVD and 15 without CVD, as well as 10 CKD patients on conservative treatment. Ten healthy subjects served as a control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used for fetuin-A, hs-CRP and homocysteine. Results: ESRD patients showed a signifi cant increase in serum hs-CRP, homocysteine and decrease in fetuin-A compared to control group. In addition, ESRD patients with CVD and without CVD showed a signifi cant increase in hs-CRP, homocysteine and only those with CVD had signifi cantly decreased fetuin-A in relation to CKD patients. Th e study revealed increased levels of hs-CRP and decrease in fetuin-A in ESRD patients with CVD compared to ESRD patients without CVD. Fetuin-A showed a negative correlation with hs-CRP and homocysteine in ESRD patients with and without CVD. Conclusion: Th e combined use of hs-CRP at a cutoff of (10 mg/dL) with either fetuin-A at a cutoff value of (0.26 g/L) or alternatively with homocysteine at a cutoff value of (48.23 μmol/L) proved to be eff ective for discrimination of CVD patients from other ESRD or CKD patients.