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Background The prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing worldwide, with the majority of new ESRD cases diagnosed in patients >60 years of age. These older patients are at increased risk for impaired cognitive functioning, potentially through cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Novel markers of vascular integrity may be of clinical value for identifying patients at high risk for cognitive impairment. Methods We aimed to associate the levels of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), asymmetric dimethylarginine and a selection of eight circulating angiogenic microRNAs (miRNAs) with SVD and cognitive impairment in older patients reaching ESRD that did not yet initiate renal replacement therapy (n  = 129; mean age 75.3 years, mean eGFR 16.4 mL/min). We assessed brain magnetic resonance imaging changes of SVD (white matter hyperintensity volume, microbleeds and the presence of lacunes) and measures of cognition in domains of memory, psychomotor speed and executive function in a neuropsychological test battery. Results Older patients reaching ESRD showed an unfavourable angiogenic profile, as indicated by aberrant levels of Ang-2 and five angiogenic miRNAs (miR-27a, miR-126, miR-132, miR-223 and miR-326), compared with healthy persons and patients with diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, Ang-2 was associated with SVD and with the domains of psychomotor speed and executive function, while miR-223 and miR-29a were associated with memory function. Conclusions Taken together, these novel angiogenic markers might serve to identify older patients with ESRD at risk of cognitive decline, as well as provide insights into the underlying (vascular) pathophysiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is rapidly increasing and mostly occurring in patients aged 65 years or older. The main cause of death in these patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Novel markers of vascular integrity may thus be of clinical value for identifying patients at high risk for CVD. Here we associated the levels of selected circulating angiogenic miRNAs, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) with cardiovascular structure and function (as determined by cardiovascular MRI) in 67 older patients reaching ESKD that were included from 'The Cognitive decline in Older Patients with End stage renal disease' (COPE) prospective, multicentered cohort study. We first determined the association between the vascular injury markers and specific heart conditions and observed that ESKD patients with coronary heart disease have significantly higher levels of circulating ADMA and miR-27a. Moreover, circulating levels of miR-27a were higher in patients with atrial fibrillation. In addition, the circulating levels of the vascular injury markers were associated with measures of cardiovascular structure and function obtained from cardiovascular MRI: pulse wave velocity (PWV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac index (CI). We found Ang-2 and miR-27a to be strongly correlated to the PWV, while Ang-2 also associated with ejection fraction. Finally, we observed that in contrast to miR-27a, Ang-2 was not associated with a vascular cause of the primary kidney disease, suggesting Ang-2 may be an ESKD-specific marker of vascular injury. Taken together, among older patients with ESKD, aberrant levels of vascular injury markers (miR-27a, Ang-2 and ADMA) associated with impaired cardiovascular function. These markers may serve to identify individuals at higher risk of CVD, as well as give insight into the underlying (vascular) pathophysiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]