Plasma concentrations of extracellular matrix protein fibulin-1 are related to cardiovascular risk markers in chronic kidney disease and diabetes

Plasma fibulin-1 was determined in subjects with chronic kidney disease (n？=？32; median age 62.5, inter-quartile range 51 – 73 years) and 60 age-matched control subjects. Among kidney disease patients serological biomarkers related to cardiovascular disease (fibrinogen, interleukin 6, C-reactive protein) were measured. Arterial applanation tonometry was used to determine central hemodynamic and arterial stiffness indices.We observed a positive correlation of fibulin-1 levels with age (r？=？0.38; p？=？0.033), glycated hemoglobin (r？=？0.80; p？=？0.003), creatinine (r？=？0.35; p？=？0.045), and fibrinogen (r？=？0.39; p？=？0.027). Glomerular filtration rate and fibulin-1 were inversely correlated (r？=？？0.57; p？=？0.022). There was a positive correlation between fibulin-1 and central pulse pressure (r？=？0.44; p？=？0.011) and central augmentation pressure (r？=？0.55; p？=？0.001). In a multivariable regression model, diabetes, creatinine, fibrinogen and central augmentation pressure were independent predictors of plasma fibulin-1.Increased plasma fibulin-1 levels were associated with diabetes and impaired kidney function. Furthermore, fibulin-1 levels were associated with hemodynamic cardiovascular risk markers. Fibulin-1 is a candidate in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease observed in chronic kidney disease and diabetes.The extracellular matrix protein fibulin-1 is emerging as a new factor in cardiovascular disease. The plasma concentration of fibulin-1 is a predictor of all cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus [1].Fibulin-1 belongs to a family of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins with functional associations with elastic fibers and basement membranes. Fibulin-1 interacts with a number of ECM molecules, but whether it serves a structural role has not yet been established [2]. Fibulin-1 is expressed in embryonic and adult vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) [3,4]. In adult blood vessels fibulin-1 is deposited in the medial layers surrounding