Medida da espessura médio-intimal da artéria carótida de crianças e adolescentes transplantados renais : um estudo controlado

Abstract

Background : Young adults with end-stage renal disease present increased risk of early cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A kidney transplant is the treatment of choice to improve the kidney function, although it does not alter that risk. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) seems to be an early predictor of cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to examine CIMT in young kidney transplant patients. Methods : Individuals aged 5 to 21 years were enrolled: 27 who had undergone a kidney transplant (Transplant group), and 25 without kidney disease (Control group). Anthropometric, family, clinical and laboratory variables, and time on dialysis (for Transplant group) were collected. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and abdominal circumference were measured. Automated ultrasonography measured CIMT. Descriptive statistics was used to compare groups and search for associations. Results : A majority of patients was male, with mean age 12.3 ± 4.7 years. Systolic blood pressure, hematocrit, creatinine, eGFR, serum albumin and insulin levels significantly differed between groups. Yet no significant difference in CIMT between Transplant and Control groups (0.46 ± 0.04 vs. 0.45 ± 0.03, respectively; p = 0.304) was detected. Univariate analysis was unable to show any association with known risk factors. Conclusion : No difference in CIMT between groups was established using a new ultrasound measuring device