CORONARYARTERY CALCIFICATION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING RENALREPLACEMENT THERAPIES

Abstract

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality both in patients undergoing dialysis and in transplant recipients. The presence of calcified coronary lesions, as can be determined and quantified by electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT), is closely correlated with the extent and severity of angiographically documented atherosclerotic lesions. In the present study, coronary artery calcifications (CAC) were measured and compared in hemodialysis (HD) patients and in transplant recipients and their correlation with other patient characteristics was assesed.