Affiliation:
1. Nephrology Department University of Health Sciences, Konya City Hospital Konya Turkey
2. Nephrology Department Baskent University Faculty of Medicine Ankara Turkey
Abstract
AbstractIntroductionVascular calcification is an intervenable factor in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. Treatment‐related factors might worsen the arterial stiffness in chronic hemodialysis patients. The aim of the study is to compare the effects of 1‐year treatment with paricalcitol or calcitriol on pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is an indicator of arterial stiffness and osteocalcin and fetuin‐A levels.MethodsSeventy‐six hemodialysis patients who had similar PWV1 at the beginning were evaluated after a 1‐year treatment of paricalcitol or calcitriol. PWV2, serum osteocalcin, and fetuin‐A levels were measured at the end of the study.ResultsAt the end of the study, PWV2 of paricalcitol group was statistically lower than the calcitriol group. Osteocalcin levels were statistically lower and fetuin‐A levels were statistically higher in the paricalcitol group than the calcitriol group at the end of the study. The number of patients with PWV2 > 7 m/s and using paricalcitol was 16 (39%) but 25 (41%) patients were using calcitriol; the differences were statistically significant.ConclusionsThe long‐term benefits of paricalcitol were superior to the benefits of calcitriol. Paricalcitol has protective effects from vascular calcification in chronic hemodialysis patients.