Purpose: Soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) has a strong association with cardiovascular deaths in patients with coronary artery disease. The aim of this study is to explore the association between sVCAM-1 and cardiovascular mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.
Methods: Eighty-three clinically stable MHD patients (mean age of 59.4 ± 13.7 years) at a single hospital-based dialysis facility were included. sVCAM-1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) were determined at study baseline. The study cohort was divided into higher and lower concentration groups by the median value. The all-cause and cardiovascular mortality of this cohort were followed for 7 years.
Results: The mean concentrations of sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, and sE-selectin were 1,393.08 ± 300.96, 230.16 ± 84.86, and 60.01 ± 42.00 ng/mL, respectively. The higher concentration groups of sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 had higher all-cause mortality by Kaplan-Meier analysis (p = 0.002 and p = 0.030, respectively). Higher sVCAM-1 concentrations had a higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.006 p = 0.046, respectively) in Cox proportional hazards model analysis.
Conclusion: In MHD patients, higher sVCAM-1 concentrations independently predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. This biomarker may be used as a valid surrogate marker for predicting outcomes.