Aortic Root Dilatation Is Attenuated with Diabetes but Is Not Associated with Renal Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have cardiac functional and structural abnormalities which can lead to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In this study, we investigated associations between diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiac functional and structural parameters in patients with CKD focusing on aortic root diameter (ARD). We also investigated associations of renal outcomes with DM and cardiac functional and structural characteristics. We enrolled 419 patients with CKD stage 3–5 were enrolled. ARD was normalized to body surface area (BSA) (ARD/BSA), and the rate of decline in renal function was assessed by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope (mL/min/1.73 m2/year). ARD/BSA ≥2.1 cm/m2 in men or ≥2.2 cm/m2 in women was defined as indicating aortic root dilatation. The patients with DM had lower ARD/BSA, higher left atrial dimension (LAD), lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower ratio of peak early transmitral filling wave velocity to peak late transmitral filling wave velocity, and higher left ventricular relative wall thickness, than those without DM. After multivariable analysis, DM (vs. non-DM; coefficient β, −0.060; p = 0.018) was significantly associated with low ARD/BSA. Significantly fewer patients with DM had aortic root dilatation compared to those without DM (14.3% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.022). In the patients with DM, there were significant associations between a high left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (per 1 g/m2, β, −0.016; p = 0.040) and high LAD (per 1 cm; β, −1.965; p < 0.001) with a low eGFR slope. However, other parameters, including ARD/BSA, were not associated with eGFR slope. Furthermore, there were no associations between eGFR slope and any of the echocardiographic parameters in the patients without DM. Aortic root dilatation was attenuated in the patients with DM, but it was not associated with a decline in renal function. However, high LAD and LVMI were associated with rapid renal function decline in the CKD patients with DM.