IRBLleida researchers identify a potential biomarker in the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Researchers from the Vascular and Renal Translational Research Group of the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida) have shown that the levels of FGF-2 (fibroblast growth factor 2) in plasma are associated with the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with Renal Chronic. This research has identified a potential biomarker in the progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (fatty plaques in the arteries) and, therefore, prevent future cardiovascular events in patients with CKD and encourage the early detection of cardiovascular disease. The results of the study have been published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

"Our results demonstrate that levels of FGF-2 were significantly lower in patients in whom atherosclerosis progressed after 2 years of follow-up compared to patients where plate loading remained stable" explained the first author of the article and IRBLleida researcher, Milica Bozic.

The results indicate that a low level of the biomarker (FGF-2 in plasma) is associated with the appearance of new atheroma plaques in patients with CKD. In addition, the study shows that FGF-2 levels are lower in the more severe stages of CKD, reaching very low levels in dialysis patients. This effect is independent of other parameters that are known to affect the progression of atherosclerosis in CKD, such as age, the degree of renal function, cholesterol levels and smoking. The determination of the factors that affect the progression of atherosclerosis in CKD could lead to new specific therapeutic targets for patients with this disease.

Association of FGF-2 Concentrations with Atheroma Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients. Bozic M, Betriu A, Bermudez-Lopez, M, Ortiz A, Fernández E, Valdivielso JM, and on behalf of the NEFRONA investigadors. CJASN, 2018.