Inflammation and cardiovascular complications in chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), accounting for 50% of deaths of patients on dialysis, even young adults. The etiology of accelerated cardiovascular disease in these patients is likely multifactorial. Although patients with CKD demonstrate a high prevalence of traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, these risk factors alone cannot explain the high burden of cardiovascular disease in this patient population. One of several uremia-related risk factors thought to contribute to disease progression is low-grade systemic inflammation. This review summarizes the current literature on the role of inflammation in promoting cardiovascular disease in this patient population as well as potential therapies to address this non-traditional risk factor.