Arjang Djamali1, Tripti Singh2, Michal L Melamed3, James H Stein2, Fahad Aziz2, Sandesh Parajuli2, Maha Mohamed2, Neetika Garg2, Didier Mandelbrot2, Donald E Wesson4, Brad C Astor5. 1. Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Electronic address: axd@medicine.wisc.edu. 2. Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. 3. Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. 4. Baylor Scott and White Health and Wellness Center of BSW Health, Dallas, TX. 5. Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.
Abstract
RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Recent studies suggest that metabolic acidosis is associated with mortality and graft failure in kidney transplant recipients. However, it is unknown whether serum bicarbonate (measured as total carbon dioxide [tCO2] in serum) levels predict cardiovascular events (CVEs) following kidney transplantation. STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: Single-center study of 2,128 kidney transplant recipients free of CVEs during the first 13.5 months following transplantation. PREDICTOR: tCO2 level at 1 year posttransplantation. OUTCOMES: Ischemic, arrhythmic, and heart failure CVEs and death from any cause. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Independent associations were assessed using multivariable proportional hazards regression models. Restricted cubic spline Poisson models were used to explore nonlinear associations. Linear spline proportional hazards models were used to assess associations at different tCO2 levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic acidosis defined as tCO2 level < 24 mEq/L was 38.8% (n=826). There were 384 recipients with a CVE and 610 deaths during a median follow-up of 4.0 years. CVEs included 241 ischemic, 137 arrhythmic, and 150 heart failure events. tCO2 level < 20 mEq/L was associated with increased risk for CVEs (adjusted HR [aHR], 2.00; 95% CI, 1.29-3.10) compared to the reference category of tCO2 level of 24.0 to 25.9 mEq/L. This association was primarily due to ischemic CVEs (aHR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.34-3.90). For every 1 mEq/L lower tCO2 level for those with tCO2 < 24 mEq/L, risks for all CVEs and ischemic events were 17% and 15% higher, respectively (aHR for all CVEs of 0.83 [95% CI, 0.74-0.94] and aHR for ischemic CVEs of 0.85 [95% CI, 0.74-0.99]). Notably, tCO2 level < 20 mEq/L, compared to tCO2 level of 24.0 to 25.9 mEq/L, was independently associated with all-cause mortality (aHR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-2.02). For every 1-mEq/L lower tCO2 level for those with tCO2 < 24 mEq/L, there was 17% higher risk for death (aHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.92). LIMITATIONS: Single-center observational study. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic acidosis is an independent risk factor for ischemic CVEs after kidney transplantation. It is unknown whether correction of acidosis improves outcomes in these patients.
RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Recent studies suggest that metabolic acidosis is associated with mortality and graft failure in kidney transplant recipients. However, it is unknown whether serum bicarbonate (measured as total carbon dioxide [tCO2] in serum) levels predict cardiovascular events (CVEs) following kidney transplantation. STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTINGS & PARTICIPANTS: Single-center study of 2,128 kidney transplant recipients free of CVEs during the first 13.5 months following transplantation. PREDICTOR: tCO2 level at 1 year posttransplantation. OUTCOMES: Ischemic, arrhythmic, and heart failure CVEs and death from any cause. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Independent associations were assessed using multivariable proportional hazards regression models. Restricted cubic spline Poisson models were used to explore nonlinear associations. Linear spline proportional hazards models were used to assess associations at different tCO2 levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic acidosis defined as tCO2 level < 24 mEq/L was 38.8% (n=826). There were 384 recipients with a CVE and 610 deaths during a median follow-up of 4.0 years. CVEs included 241 ischemic, 137 arrhythmic, and 150 heart failure events. tCO2 level < 20 mEq/L was associated with increased risk for CVEs (adjusted HR [aHR], 2.00; 95% CI, 1.29-3.10) compared to the reference category of tCO2 level of 24.0 to 25.9 mEq/L. This association was primarily due to ischemic CVEs (aHR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.34-3.90). For every 1 mEq/L lower tCO2 level for those with tCO2 < 24 mEq/L, risks for all CVEs and ischemic events were 17% and 15% higher, respectively (aHR for all CVEs of 0.83 [95% CI, 0.74-0.94] and aHR for ischemic CVEs of 0.85 [95% CI, 0.74-0.99]). Notably, tCO2 level < 20 mEq/L, compared to tCO2 level of 24.0 to 25.9 mEq/L, was independently associated with all-cause mortality (aHR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-2.02). For every 1-mEq/L lower tCO2 level for those with tCO2 < 24 mEq/L, there was 17% higher risk for death (aHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.92). LIMITATIONS: Single-center observational study. CONCLUSIONS:Metabolic acidosis is an independent risk factor for ischemic CVEs after kidney transplantation. It is unknown whether correction of acidosis improves outcomes in these patients.
Authors: Denver D Brown; Megan Carroll; Derek K Ng; Rebecca V Levy; Larry A Greenbaum; Frederick J Kaskel; Susan L Furth; Bradley A Warady; Michal L Melamed; Andrew Dauber Journal: Kidney360 Date: 2022-02-09
Authors: Antonia Zhu; Reid H Whitlock; Thomas W Ferguson; Mohammad Nour-Mohammadi; Paul Komenda; Claudio Rigatto; David Collister; Clara Bohm; Nancy L Reaven; Susan E Funk; Navdeep Tangri Journal: Kidney Int Rep Date: 2022-07-16