Significance of Plasma Levels of Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor as Determined by Multidetector Row Computed Tomography in Patients with Mild Chronic Kidney Disease and/or Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Little is known about the association between plasma levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study evaluated 289 consecutive patients with chest pain or at least one coronary risk factor who underwent coronary angiography using multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT). Presence of CAD and CKD, CAD severity (i.e. number of significantly stenosed coronary vessels, described as vessel disease [VD]), coronary calcification scores, visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area on MDCT, and metabolic biomarkers were recorded. PEDF levels correlated significantly with sex, VFA, CKD presence/hyperuricaemia and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. PEDF levels were closely associated with CKD and were significantly higher in CKD patients than in non-CKD patients, regardless of the presence of CAD. CKD patients with two-VD or three-VD had higher plasma PEDF levels than non-CKD patients with two-VD or three-VD. It is concluded that PEDF may be associated with CKD regardless of the presence of CAD.