Vascular calcification in peritoneal dialysis patients

Abstract

Vascular calcification ( VC) is being recognized as a common complication at all stages of chronic kidney disease, particularly in patients on dialysis. Traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors both appear to be involved in the development of VC in this population. Although few studies focusing exclusively on peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are available, some data support the view that VC constitutes an independent prognostic marker of morbidity and mortality in the PD population. In this review, we discuss the potential pathophysiologic pathways of VC in PD patients, and we examine the relevant clinical data.