T. Masaki et al., Factors influencing arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in Japanese patientson chronic hemodialysis, INT J ARTIF, 22(1), 1999, pp. 14-17
Arteriovenous fistula dysfunction is a constant problem in chronic hemodial
ysis patients. We investigated the factors influencing fistula dysfunction
in 184 patients on chronic hemodialysis. Stepwise regression analysis and C
ox proportional hazards model were used to assess the relationship between
fistula dysfunction and age, sex, duration of hemodialysis, diabetes mellit
us, hematocrit, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, Kt/V; prothrombin ti
me, blood pressure, anticoagulant therapy, dose of erythropoietin, calcium
channel blocker therapy, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therap
y. Fistula dysfunction showed a significant relationship with a low systoli
c blood pressure, a low hematocrit, the presence of diabetes mellitus, and
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. These results suggested th
at treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors may help to prev
ent fistula dysfunction.