Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) will likely progress to renal failure and death without medical or lifestyle intervention. Early detection and treatment of CKD before the development of severe stages (G3b–G5) may provide an opportunity to slow disease progression; however, reliable early detection strategies remain limited. CKD is a systemic condition, and vascular measures have been proposed as potential indicators of renal health. Therefore, this study examined associations between renal function and carotid artery structural characteristics in adults with moderate stages of CKD. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between renal filtration markers and carotid arterial structural characteristics in adults with moderate chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Eighteen participants with Stage G3a–G3b CKD (M: n = 6;F: n = 12; eGFR = 51.94 ± 6.71mL/min/1.73m²) underwent an ultrasound assessment of common carotid far-wall intima–media thickness (FIMT) and luminal diameter. Three end-diastolic frames were captured over successive cardiac cycles during continuous ultrasound imaging, and measurements were averaged for analysis. Markers of renal health and filtration, including clinical estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), cystatin C, and creatinine-based eGFR equations, were obtained from fasting blood and urine samples. Pearson correlations examined associations between carotid structural measures and renal biomarkers. Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to determine independent predictors of carotid structure. RESULTS: Clinical eGFR demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with FIMT (r = 0.47, p = 0.047) and a significant inverse correlation with maximal carotid diameter (r = –0.53, p = 0.024). In multivariable regression adjusting for age, sex, and body fat percentage, eGFR remained an independent predictor of FIMT (β = 0.014mm per mL/min/1.73m², p = 0.042). In a parallel model predicting maximal carotid diameter, eGFR showed an inverse but non-significant association after adjustment for age, sex, and body fat percentage (β = -0.044mm per mL/min/1.73m², p = 0.268), while effect direction remained consistent with unadjusted findings. CONCLUSION: Renal filtration status is associated with carotid arterial structural characteristics in adults with moderate CKD. Carotid ultrasound measures of arterial structure may provide non-invasive indicators of vascular changes accompanying renal dysfunction. Larger longitudinal studies are warranted to evaluate clinical utility for early CKD risk stratification.
Recommended Citation
Mason, Koran D.; Parra, Mandy E.; Luera, Micheal; Botello, Andru; Russell, Olivia; Bolden, Leroy; Hermans, Craig; Forsse, Jeffrey; and Chapman-Lopez, Tomas J.
(2026)
"Associations Between Renal Function and Carotid Arterial Structure in Adults with Moderate Stage Chronic Kidney Disease,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 161.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/161