Abstract
Background peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common complication in patients undergoing dialysis, which reduces the quality of life and increases the risk of mortality. Recent literature has documented an association between increased visceral fat (VF) content and a proatherogenic factors in end-stage renal disease. The present study investigated the prevalence of PAD in patients undergoing hemodialysis. PAD was determined as an ankle-brachial index <0.9. Additionally, VF content was determined using multiple frequency bioelectrical impendence analysis. The nutritional status of the patients was evaluated by subjective global assessment and endothelial function was measured by ultrasonographic brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation. Patients divided into two groups (malnourished and non-malnourished) with two further subgroups in each (high VF and low VF content). The prevalence of PAD was identified to be significantly higher in patients with a high VF mass compared with a low VF mass in non-malnourished patients. PAD was significantly more common in malnourished patients compared with non-malnourished patients (P<0.01). The presence of PAD in patients undergoing hemodialysis was identified to be significantly correlated with age, diabetes mellitus (DM) status VF content, malnutrition, serum albumin level, diastolic blood pressure and log C-reactive protein levels. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis determined that age, DM, VF content and malnutrition were significant independent risk factors for PAD in patients undergoing hemodialysis. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that obesity and malnutrition act synergistically to increase the risk of PAD in patients undergoing dialysis.