| Summary: | Background: Arterial stiffness is linked to the progression of atherosclerosis, while activation of vitamin D receptor exerts favorable cardiovascular effects in patients with renal insufficiency. In this study, we investigated the effects of oral treatment with paricalcitol, a potent vitamin D receptor activator, on arterial stiffness and osteopontin, a marker of atherosclerosis, in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Methods: We followed up 29 treated hypertensive patients (mean age: 74.1 years, 19 men, office blood pressure = 132/85 mmHg) with CKD stages 3–5 (mean glomerular filtration rate [GFR] = 19.4 ml/min/1.73 m2) who were on therapy with oral paricalcitol for 1 year. The control group consisted of 10 age-, sex-, and GFR-matched hypertensive patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Results: After 1 year of treatment with paricalcitol compared to baseline, there was no statistical difference in levels of GFR, office blood pressure, and osteopontin (p = NS for all), while carotid-femoral PWV was reduced from 11.8 ± 2.6 m/s to 11.2 ± 2.4 m/s (p < 0.05). The control group exhibited no significant changes in carotid-femoral PWV (p = NS). Conclusions: Treatment with oral paricalcitol in hypertensive subjects suffering from CKD stages 3–5 and secondary hyperparathyroidism is accompanied by amelioration of arterial stiffness as reflected by the reduction of carotid-femoral PWV. Keywords: Chronic kidney disease, Paricalcitol, Arterial stiffness, Hypertension, Osteopontin
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