| الوصف: |
Vascular calcification (VC) is a common feature of patients with advanced CKD and it could be, at least in part, the cause of increased cardiovascular mortality in these patients. From a morphologic point of view, there are at least two types of pathologic calcium phosphate deposition in the arterial wall—namely, intima calcification (mostly associated with atherosclerotic plaques) and media calcification (associated with stiffening of the vasculature, resulting in significantly adverse cardiovascular outcomes). Although VC was viewed initially as a passive phenomenon, it appears to be a cell-mediated, dynamic, and actively regulated process that closely resembles the formation of normal bone tissue, as discovered recently. VC seems to be the result of the dysregulation of the equilibrium between promoters and inhibitors. The determinants are mostly represented by altered calcium and phosphorus metabolism, secondary hyperparathyroidism, vitamin D excess, high fibroblast growth factor 23, and high levels of indoxyl sulphate or leptin; meanwhile, the inhibitors are vitamin K, fetuin A, matrix G1a protein, osteoprotegerin, and pyrophosphate. A number of non-invasive imaging techniques are available to investigate cardiac and vascular calcification: plain X-rays, to identify macroscopic calcifications of the aorta and peripheral arteries; two-dimensional ultrasound for investigating the calcification of carotid arteries, femoral arteries, and aorta; echocardiography, for assessment of valvular calcification; and, of course, computed tomography technologies, which constitute the gold standard for quantification of coronary artery and aorta calcification. All these methods have a series of advantages and limitations. The treatment/ prevention of VC is currently mostly around calcium-mineral bone disease interventions, and unproven. There are interesting hypotheses around vitamin K, Magnesium, sodium thiosulphate and other potential agents. |
