Optimal timing of coronary angiograms for patients with chronic kidney disease: association between the duration of kidney dysfunction and SYNTAX scores

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there are few data on the relationship between CAD severity and the duration of CKD. This study assessed the predictive value of the duration of kidney dysfunction in CKD patients with CAD severity. METHODS: In 145 patients (63.4% male, n = 92; mean age, 68.8 ± 12.8 years) with CKD, severity of CAD was assessed by coronary angiography and quantified by SYNTAX scores, and duration of kidney dysfunction was either assessed by checking historical biochemical parameters of individuals or was based on enquiries. RESULTS: Patients with high SYNTAX scores (≥ 22) had a greater prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors including age, gender, history of heart failure and smoking. In CKD patients, SYNTAX scores were positively correlated to duration of CKD and serum uric acid (UA), and negatively correlated to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and ApoA1 levels. Univariate binary logistic regression and multivariate logistic analyses showed that SYNTAX scores correlated significantly with CKD duration, UA, and HDL-C. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to explore a time point when coronary angiography application was economical and effective and yielded a Youden index of 6.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results demonstrated that the duration of kidney dysfunction was an independent correlate of the severity of CAD in patients with CKD. Our findings suggest that coronary angiography should be considered for CKD patients with renal insufficiency having lasted for more than 6.5 years.