Assessing Vascular Biomarkers and Their Association with Hypertension in Paediatric Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the correlation between children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers, including asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), as well as blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.

Methods: This case-control study included children who were divided into 2 groups: children with CKD at different stages and healthy controls. The study was performed from November 2021 to October 2022 at El-Minia University hospitals and the general outpatient paediatric clinic at Minia University, Minya, Egypt. Blood pressure measurements were taken, and levels of ADMA, Ang-2 and VEGF-A were determined.

Results: A total of 90 children divided into 2 groups (45 each) were included in this study. The results showed that children with CKD exhibited significantly higher ADMA, Ang-2 and VEGF-A levels compared to the control group. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a positive correlation with the elevated biomarkers, while the estimated glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR) demonstrated a negative association.

Conclusions: Elevated levels of VEGF-A, Ang-2 and ADMA have been linked to increased cardiovascular risk and antihypertensive treatment in children with CKD. These biomarkers may prove valuable in clinical evaluations to improve therapy and outcomes for children with CKD.