Abstract

As the newly published studies come into the literature, it would become more evident that kidney diseases can result in vascular disorders and ominous events. However, despite the higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in dialysis patients well-described by the Framingham study, the augmented risk of cardiovascular diseases in this patient population cannot merely be explained by traditional risk factors. Several studies have shown that the effects of non-traditional risk factors, especially malnutrition and inflammatory factors, are even more eminent in dialysis patients. Improvement in nutritional status and inflammation through drug administration and life style modification has been suggested to decrease the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disorders; however, data on the clinical relevance and feasibility of them is scarce in the dialysis population. Consequently, we recommend prospective cohort studies, as well as randomized controlled trials, to evaluate the feasibility of drug administration in tandem with improvements in the atherosclerosis risk profile in the cardiovascular morbidity and survival of patients under maintenance hemodialysis.