Biomarkers Important for Vascular Calcification in Hemodialysis Patients: Literature Review

Among end-stage renal disease pa­tients, the risk of cardiovascular moribidity and total mortality is significantly higher than in healthy individuals. As interventions that have been successful in the general population, failed to improve outcomes of hemodialysis patients, more attention is paid to non-traditional, only for hemodialysis patients specific risk factors. Disturbances of calcium phosphate metabolism and related vascular calcification is one of them. Vascular calcification is not any longer considered a passive process, but rather as an actively regulated one. Calcification promotors and inhibitors, as well as disturbance of their balance, play the most important role in development and progression of vascular calcification. As renal function decreases, especially when the dialysis treatment is initiated a lot of changes in the balance between calcification promotors and in­hibitors occur. Vascular calcification is a frequent complication associated with poor outcomes, therefore, evaluating disturbances in biomarkers balance is very important. In this literature review, we discuss biomarkers that are important for vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients.