Abstract: Objective To investigate the impact of vascular calcification (VC) on arteriovenous fistula (AVF) dysfunction in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods Segments of radial artery were obtained during the arteriovenous fistula operation for HD patients. VC was examined by von Kossa staining. Clinical and biochemical data were collected. Parameters relating to VC were then analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis. Results Among the 110 HD cases, 17 cases (15.45%) had VC in radial arteries of different degrees. Serum creatinine (1172.33±490.75 μmol/L) and dialysis duration [72.92 (8.40~182.170) months] were significantly
higher in patients with severe VC than in those without VC or with mild to moderate VC (P＜0.05). AVF dysfunction was positively correlated with hemoglobin (r=0.408, P=0.000), phosphorus (r=0.256, P=0.007), calcium-phosphorus product (r=0.293, P=0.002), serum creatinine (r=0.309, P=0.001), and dialysis duration
(r=0.266, P=0.005). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that hemoglobin correlated with AVF dysfunction. Conclusions Different degree of VC had no effect on AVF dysfunction in one year. Dialysis duration was the main influential factor for VC in HD patients. Higher hemoglobin correlated closely with AVF
dysfunction.

Key words: Hemodialysis, Vascular calcification, Arteriovenous fistula