Osteocalcin (bone GLA protein) levels, vascular calcifications, vertebral fractures and mortality in hemodialysis patients with diabetes mellitus

Background and aims Diabetes mellitus is recognized as one of the major causes of end stage kidney disease. Bone Gla protein (BGP) is a vitamin K-dependent protein involved in bone mineralization and vascular calcifications (VC). Our goal was to characterize BGP and undercarboxylated BGP (ucBGP) in DM patients on HD, compared to HD patients without DM, and their association with vascular and bone disease.