Chronic hemodialysis patients with visceral obesity have a higher risk for cardiovascular events

The risk of cardiovascular disease is substantially high in hemodialysis patients. The risk factors for cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients include age, malnutrition, duration of dialysis, diabetes mellitus and hyperphosphatemia. However, it is not clear whether cardiovascular disease is associated with abdominal obesity in dialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship among visceral fat area and cardiovascular complications in chronic dialysis patients. Area of visceral fat was measured using computed tomography scan in 94 patients. The abdominal aortic calcification index (ACI), blood lipid profile and complication of cardiovascular disease were evaluated in these patients. Compared to patients with smaller visceral fat area (100 cm2), those with larger visceral fat area (≥100 cm2) showed significantly higher cardiovascular complication and higher serum levels of triglyceride and significantly lower serum levels of HDL-cholesterol. Patients with larger visceral fat area and longer duration of dialysis showed severer calcification by ACI analysis, and showed higher incidences of ischemic heart disease. This study suggested that chronic dialysis patients with higher visceral fat area have a higher risk for vascular events, especially ischemic heart disease.