Relationship between arterial stiffness and renal function determined by CKD-EPI and MDRD equations in a Chinese cohort undergoing health assessment

Objective: The relationship between the renal function and large arteries remains to be determined. Our study investigated the relationship between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-fPWV) as a measure of arterial stiffness and renal function in healthy participants. Design and method: Our cross-sectional study was conducted in healthy individuals in China. We enrolled participants from January 2017 to June 2019. c-fPWV and blood pressure were measured and blood samples taken in all participants. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was evaluated by four different formulae using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations: (i) CKD-EPICr formula based on Cr, (ii) CKD-EPICysC formula based on CysC, (iii) CKD-EPICrCysC formula based on Cr andCysC, (iv) MDRD. Results: Average age of 431 study participants was 53.1 ± 13.0 years (68.1% male), 23.7% had diabetes mellitus, 66.6% had hypertension. The average eGFR values of CKD-EPICr, CKD-EPICysC, CKD-EPICrCysC and MDRD equations were respectively 91.9 ± 15.6, 86.8 ± 21.4, 89.6 ± 18.3 and 90.7 ± 16.6 ml/min·1.73m2. c-fPWV was significantly and negatively correlated with eGFR of CKD-EPICr (r = -0.336), CKD-EPICysC (r-0.385), CKD-EPICrcysC (r = -0.378) and MDRD (r = 0.219) equations. After adjusting for confounding factors, c-fPWV remained significantly and negatively correlated with eGFR evaluated by CKD-EPICysC equation (β=-0.118), and significantly and positively correlated with age (β = 0.347), SBP (β= 0.275), HR (β = 0.086), FPG (β= 0.098). Conclusions: In normal individuals in China, c-fPWV is negatively correlated with eGFR evaluated in different four equations, however only the equation of CKD-EPICysC showed an independent relation with c-fPWV.