Abstract
Arteriosclerotic disease is a common complication in hemodialysis patients. We searched for a useful predictive factor for the presence of cerebro- and cardiovascular disorder (CCVD) based on hemodialysis patients' carotid artery flow-velocity waveforms. In 87 hemodialysis patients, the peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI) and end diastolic velocity ratio (ED ratio) were analyzed by carotid ultrasound examination. We examined the relationship between these flow-velocity waveforms and the maximum intima-media thickness (max-IMT), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and aortic calcification index (ACI). There were significant negative correlations between the EDV and max-IMT, CAVI and ACI. The EDV and ED ratio of the CCVD (+) group were significantly higher than those of the CCVD (-) group. We then divided all subjects into two groups according to the mean value of EDV (11 cm/sec). The incidence of CCVD in the lower-EDV group (<11 cm/sec) was significantly higher than that in the higher-EDV group (≥11 cm/sec). These findings suggest that the EDV and ED ratio are useful markers, as well as predictors of occlusive disease in hemodialysis patients. They further suggest that a low level of EDV is related to the incidence of CCVD in hemodialysis patients.
