Lalayiannis AD, Ferro CJ, Wheeler DC, et al. - Young chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients exhibited a high burden of subclinical cardiovascular disease, with a greater prevalence of functional abnormalities in dialysis vs CKD patients.

• In patients with CKD stages 4-5 and on dialysis under 30 years of age (79 children and 21 young adults), structural and functional cardiovascular changes were analyzed.

• Raised carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) z-score (median 2.17) was evident, with presence of coronary artery calcification in 10.

• Presence of at least one structural or functional CV abnormality was evident in 16/23(69.5%) of CKD4-5 and 68/77(88.3%) on dialysis.

• No difference was seen in the prevalence of structural abnormalities in CKD or dialysis cohorts.

• A 4.5-fold elevated odds of > 1 functional abnormality was noted in relation to presence of > 1 structural abnormality.

• Less carotid dilatation (lumen/wall cross sectional areas ratio) was seen in patients with structural and functional abnormalities (cIMT z-score >2SD or distensibility <-2SD) vs those with normal cIMT and distensibility.