Abstract: 【Abstract】Objective To investigate clinical and biochemical factors for radial artery calcification (RAC) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients through histopathological assessment of the arteries. Methodology Segments of radial artery were obtained during arteriovenous fistula (AVF) operation for ESRD patients. RAC samples were examined after alizarin red S staining. Clinical and biochemical data of the patients were collected. The parameters relating to RAC were analyzed by binary logistic regression analyses. Results Among 180 ESRD cases, 38 cases (21.1%) developed RAC at different degrees. Dialysis vintage >5 years (χ2=24.626, P=0.022), diabetes (χ2=24.626, P＜0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (t=2.736, P=0.009) were statistical different between calcification and non-calcification groups. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that dialysis vintage >5 years [OR=14.314, 95% CI (2.666, 36.502), P＜0.001] and diabetes [OR=16.099, 95% CI (2.796, 34.597), P＜0.001] were the independent risk factors for RAC. Dialysis vintage >5 years (χ2=11.378, P=0.001) and diabetes (χ2=14.741, P＜0.001) were significantly higher in patients with severe RAC than in patients without RAC. Diabetes (χ2=14.684, P＜0.001) and HbA1c (P=0.026) were significantly higher in patients with mild to moderate RAC than in patients without RAC. Conclusions RAC manifested as arterial media calcification was frequently observed in ESRD patients. Dialysis vintage >5 years and diabetes were the independent risk factors for RAC. Therefore, multiple factors persistent for a period of time promote the development of RAC.

Key words: Histopathology, Vascular calcification, End-stage renal disease