Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and young adults with
end-stage renal disease. In our study, we retrospectively analyzed the records of 11 patients who had undergone electron beam computerized tomography in our dialysis unit. Our patients, aged 11 to 24 years (median, 19.3 years) were on dialysis or had functioning grafts. Coronary calcification was observed in seven patients (64%) with a mean
calcium score of 273.8 +/- 708 (range 0.8 to 1864) in our study population. We compared clinical characteristics like age, gender, duration of
end-stage renal disease, time on
hemodialysis, body mass index, and blood pressures between the patients with calcifications (group I) and those with out calcification (group II). We also compared the laboratory data including daily
calcium and
calcitriol intake,
lipid profile, serum
calcium and
phosphorus levels,
calcium/
phosphorus products, and serum
parathyroid hormone levels in the both groups. The mean daily dose of total
calcium,
triglyceride level, and
calcium/
phosphorus products were higher in the calcification group though not statistically significant. The mean daily dose of
calcitriol was significantly higher in patients with calcification. Using Spearman multivariate correlation, we found a correlation between the coronary
calcium scores and mean daily doses of total
calcium and
calcitriol (r = .750, P =.008 and r = .869, P = .001, respectively). We conclude that coronary calcification, which is a proven predictor of
cardiovascular disease, begins at a very early age and that daily doses of elemental
calcium and
calcitriol seem to be important factors in our study population.