Dalarna University's logo and link to the university's website

Background: Patients with severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) are characterized by increased inflammatory activity and higher oxidative stress, conditions that have been suggested to mediate the substantially increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in these patients. However, also individuals with mild signs of kidney damage and dysfunction have been shown to have an increased risk for CVD. Yet, data on the association between mild signs of kidney damage and dysfunction and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in the community is scarce. Research Design and Methods: Accordingly, we investigated the cross-sectional associations between cystatin C based glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinary albumin creatinine ratio (ACR), and markers of cytokine mediated inflammation (interleukin 6 [IL-6], high sensitivity C reactive protein [hsCRP], serum amyloid A [SAA]), cyclooxygenas-mediated inflammation (urinary prostaglandin F2-alpha [PGF2alpha]) and oxidative stress (urinary F2-isprostanes) in a sub-sample of a community based cohort (Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men, ULSAM, n=648, mean age 77 year) with normal eGFR (>60 ml/min/1.73m2 ) and normal ACR (<30 µmol/L) Results: In multivariable linear regression models adjusting for age, BMI, smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides and treatment with statin, ACE-inhibit-, ASA-, anti inflammation- , cortisone medication, eGFR was inversely associated with lower hsCRP (p<0.008), lower IL-6 (p<0.01), and ACR was positive associated with higher hsCRP (p=0.01), higher IL-6 (p=<0.004) and higher SAA (p=0.001). No significant association was seen between PGF2alpha, F2-isoprostanes and eGFR and ACR. Conclusion: Our community based data suggest that cytokine mediated inflammation is involved in the early stages of kidney damage and dysfunction, while cyclooxygenas-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress is not. Further studies are needed in order to evaluate to what extent cytokine mediated inflammation mediates the increased CVD risk seen in individuals with mild signs of kidney damage and dysfunction.