Abstract: Objective To find out the changes of peripheral arteries in hemodialysis patients with kidney failure caused by diabetes, we studied the endothelial function of brachial and popliteal arteries by using high resolution ultrasound examination. Methods Distensibility coefficient (DC), stiffness degree (SD) and flowmediated dilatation (FMD) were calculated from the results of high resolution ultrasound examination in patients with kidney failure due to diabetes (DKD, n=60) and due to other diseases (NDKD, n=60). They were subdivided by hemodialysis age into pre-HD subgroup (before hemodialysis, n=20), 12 months subgroup (hemodialysis for 12 months, n=20), and 36 months subgroup (hemodialysis for 36 months, n=20). Twenty healthy volunteers were also included as control group (NC). Results ① The values of DC and FMD of brachial artery and FMD of popliteal artery decreased gradually, the values of SD of brachial artery and the difference between FMD levels from brachial and popliteal arteries increased gradually in the order of NC group, the pre-HD, 12 months, and 36 months subgroups of DKD group. These changes were statistically significant in the 36 months subgroup of DKD group as compared with those in the other subgroups of DKD group (P＜0.05). ② In the subgroups of NDKD group, the changes of DC, FMD and SD in brachial and popliteal arteries were similar to those found in the subgroups of DKD group. ③ FMD level was significantly lower in popliteal artery than that in brachial artery in all of the groups we studied (P＜0.05). ④ DC in brachial artery and the difference between FMD levels from brachial and popliteal arteries were lower and SD was higher in DKD group than those in NDKD group (P＜0.05). Conclusion The injury of endothelial function in brachial artery is more serious in hemodialysis patients due to diabetes than in those due to other diseases. With the increase of dialysis age vascular endothelial injury deteriorates in hemodialysis patients due to diabetes, and the dysfunction of vascular dilatation progresses faster in popliteal artery than in brachial artery in hemodialysis patients especially in those due to diabetes.

Key words: Brachial artery, Popliteal artery, Endothelial Function, Diabetic kidney disease, Hemodialysis