Background/aims: To explore the relationship between hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and uremic accelerated atherosclerosis (UAAS) in chronic hemodialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy (CHD/DN).
Methods: A total of 36 CHD/DN and 32 chronic hemodialyzed non-diabetic patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CHD/non-DN) were studied. Plasma H2S was measured with a sulfide sensitive electrode.
Results: Plasma H2S in CHD/DN was significantly lower than that in CHD/non-DN patients. Plasma H2S was positively correlated with plasma TGF-β1, and negatively correlated with MMP-12 in CHD/DN patients. CHD/DN patients exhibited higher CCA-IMT, hsCRP, and lower H2S levels than in CHD/non-DN patients. Moreover, in CHD/DN patients, CCA-IMT was negatively correlated with plasma H2S, and positively correlated with hsCRP and LDL. On multiple regression analysis, H2S levels exhibited independent association with IMT in CHD/DN patients.
Conclusions: These findings suggest possible linkage between H2S metabolism and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway modulation abnormalities that may contribute to the development of UAAS in CHD/DN patients.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.