Peripheral Arterial Stiffness Is Independently Associated with a Rapid Decline in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction. Diabetes and its vascular complications are main noncommunicable chronic diseases and major global health issues. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent in diabetes with nephropathy. We evaluated the associations of variables of arterial stiffness and the decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods. A total of 577 type 2 diabetic patients (mean ± SD: age, 63 ± 11 years) were enrolled. A rapid decline in eGFR was defined as progressively lower eGFR detected at both the 6- and 12-month follow-up visits, plus a reduction in eGFR more than 3 mL·min(−1)per 1.73 m(2) per year. Results. Higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP), pulse pressure (PP), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) at baseline were independently associated with a rapid decline in eGFR. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for a rapid decline in eGFR for ba-PWV, SBP, and PP were 1.072 (1.011–1.136), 1.014 (1.004–1.025), and 1.025 (1.008–1.041), respectively, after adjustment for gender, age, body mass index, smoking, HbA1c, and baseline eGFR in separated models. Conclusions. Ba-PWV may serve as a simple and noninvasive predictor of rapid renal function progression in type 2 diabetic patients.