November 30, 2005 - Important New Data on Renal Failure Patients Presented at Scientific Sessions 2005

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Editorial Insights

Huy D. Khuu, MD

Assistant Professor

Department of Cardiology/CRISP

University of South Florida College of Medicine

Tampa, Florida

Scientific Sessions 2005 

This year’s Scientific Sessions, a meeting sponsored by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, was held in Dallas November 13-16, 2005. The stated goals of this gathering were to present recent advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke for physicians, scientists, nurses, and healthcare professionals and to provide a forum for the exchange of new research by scientists/investigators working in cardiovascular disease and stroke. More than 25,000 attendees took part in the learning experiences at this important conference.

This issue of Cardiology News Forum is devoted to selected presentations from the Basic Science portion of the meeting.  These sessions are held to identify key areas of cutting-edge research in heart failure, atherosclerosis, stroke, cardiovascular genetics and molecular biology, and arrhythmias.  In this issue we discuss three presentations from the Featured Research: New Therapeutic Insights and Biomarkers in Cardiorenal Physiology program that was presented the afternoon of November 15.  These presentations were related to various aspects of the problems of renal failure patients.

Renal Failure Patients 

Cardiovascular disease is a frequent and severe complication in patients with end-stage renal disease. Disorders of mineral metabolism may contribute by promoting cardiovascular calcification.¹  Cardiovascular calcification can be a significant concern in chronic kidney disease patients as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Many dialysis patients have a history of cardiovascular disease, and cardio- vascular calcification occurs at a faster rate in dialysis patients compared to the general population.² End-stage renal disease is associated with hyperphosphatemia which is related to arterial calcification  that is linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes.³

Dr. Wadi N. Suki of the Kidney Institute in Houston was a moderator for the Featured Research: New Therapeutic Insights and Biomarkers in Cardiorenal Physiology session, and also presented the findings of an important study assessing the impact on outcomes of the use of calcium-based phosphate binders in dialysis patients as compared to the use of sevelamer.⁴  Also in the same session Dr. Marianne Verhaar of UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands presented findings of a study of endothelial progenitor cell availability and altered differentiation in end-stage renal failure patients, along with the acute effects of hemodialysis on EPC availability.⁵ Finally, in this issue we summarize a report by Dr. Raphaelle Dumaine of the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital in Paris on an analysis of data from the Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry. Dr. Dumaine discussed the problem of under-treatment of renal insufficiency in outpatients at high risk of atherothrombotic events.⁶

The University of South Florida College of Medicine wishes to acknowledge the support of Genzyme Corporation, which has provided an unrestricted educational grant for this CE activity.

This publication is intended for physicians, scientists, nurses, and healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Disclosure of faculty and commercial support relationships is required of the contributors to this CE activity.  The following relationships have been disclose:

Huy D. Khuu, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiology/CRISP, University of South Florida College of Medicine: Nothing to disclose.

Off-Label Investigational Use Disclosure 

Some of the information contained herein may cite off-label use of drugs.  Consult the approved package insert(s) for complete prescribing information.

This CME activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Essentials.

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