The burden of subclinical cardiovascular disease in children and young adults with CKD and on dialysis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality even in young people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We examined structural and functional CV changes in patients ˂30 years of age with CKD Stages 4 and 5 and on dialysis.A total of 79 children and 21 young adults underwent cardiac computed tomography for coronary artery calcification (CAC), ultrasound for carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and echocardiography. Differences in structural (CAC, cIMT z-score, left ventricular mass index) and functional (carotid distensibility z-score and cfPWV z-score) measures were examined between CKD Stages 4 and 5 and dialysis patients.Overall, the cIMT z-score was elevated [median 2.17 (interquartile range 1.14-2.86)] and 10 (10%) had CAC. A total of 16/23 (69.5%) patients with CKD Stages 4 and 5 and 68/77 (88.3%) on dialysis had at least one structural or functional CV abnormality. There was no difference in the prevalence of structural abnormalities in CKD or dialysis cohorts, but functional abnormalities were more prevalent in patients on dialysis (P < 0.05). The presence of more than one structural abnormality was associated with a 4.5-fold increased odds of more than one functional abnormality (95% confidence interval 1.3-16.6; P < 0.05). Patients with structural and functional abnormalities [cIMT z-score >2 standard deviation (SD) or distensibility