Impacts of Coronary Artery Calcification on Intradialytic Blood Pressure Patterns in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis

Intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. Vascular calcification is a common complicating feature, but whether this complication results in intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities remains uncertain. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between coronary artery calcium score and intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis. Thirty-six patients who received nongated chest computed tomography scans were included. Intradialytic hypotension was defined as a minimum intradialytic systolic blood pressure of <100 mmHg or a pre-dialysis blood pressure – minimum intradialytic systolic blood pressure >30 mmHg. Intradialytic hypertension was defined as >10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (pre- to post-dialysis). Patients were classified as 22 (61.1%) with coronary artery calcium score <400 and 14 (38.9%) with coronary artery calcium score ≥400. Median systolic and diastolic blood pressures were equivalent, but median pulse pressure was higher in patients with coronary artery calcium score ≥400 than in those with scores <400. Coronary artery calcium score was comparable according to both intradialytic hypotension and hypertension, and had no correlation with systolic blood pressure fall and nadir systolic blood pressure. Coronary artery calcium score predicted the occurrence of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.001 and 1.001; p=0.058 and 0.010). Coronary vascular calcification could be irrelevant to intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis.