Peripheral obstructive arterial disease and carotid artery stenosis in end stage renal disease: a case-control study.

AIM: Cardiovascular diseases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predominance of carotid stenosis and peripheral obstructive arterial disease (POAD) in a group of patients subject to dialysis compared with a control group. METHODS: It is a control-case study performed on patients at different hemodialysis facilities; the exams were carried out in ambulatory care. Two groups of patients were examined, the first group was made up of 40 dialysis patients (46.6% men, average age 58.8), the second was the control group made up of 58 subjects matched by age, sex, arterial pressure, presence of diabetes and smoking habits. All patients underwent an Eco-Color Doppler exam on the over aortal trunks and lower extremities and had their Ankle-Brakial-Index (ABI) measured. Carotid stenosis was considered only if equal or over 50%. RESULTS: Twenty percent of dialysis patients showed carotid stenosis (CS) versus 12% in the control group, with an OR of 7.9 (CI 95% 1.3-47.7) adjusted to sex, age and hypertension. The ultrasound picture of the lesions showed large amounts of calcium deposits. Predominance of POAD in dialysis patients was 20% versus 9% in the control group. In dialysis patients the OR adjusted to age, sex and arterial pressure was 6.3 (CI 95%, 1.2-32.6). CONCLUSION: The ultrasound picture of the lesions showed mainly underpopliteal lesions with ''rosary bead'' calcifications. In diabetic dialysis patients the OR was 7.6 (CI 95% 1.4-46.3).