Vitamin K for Vascular Calcification in Kidney Patients: Still Alive and Kicking, but Still a Lot to Learn

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer disproportionately from a high burden of cardiovascular disease, which, despite recent scientific advances, remains partly understood. Vascular calcification (VC) is the result of an ongoing process of misplaced calcium in the inner and medial layers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrients 2024-06, Vol.16 (12), p.1798
Main Authors: Neofytou, Ioannis Eleftherios, Stamou, Aikaterini, Demopoulos, Antonia, Roumeliotis, Stefanos, Zebekakis, Pantelis, Liakopoulos, Vassilios, Stamellou, Eleni, Dounousi, Evangelia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Biomarkers
Biomarkers - blood
Bones
Calcification
Calcium-Binding Proteins - blood
Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology
Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control
CKD
Dietary Supplements
dp-ucMGP
Extracellular Matrix Proteins - blood
Extracellular Matrix Proteins - metabolism
Health aspects
Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis patients
Humans
Kidney diseases
Matrix Gla Protein
menaquinone-7
Mortality
Oxidative stress
Physiological aspects
PIVKA-II
Proteins
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic - complications
Review
Uremia
vascular calcification
Vascular Calcification - etiology
Veins & arteries
Vitamin K
Vitamin K Deficiency - complications
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Summary:Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer disproportionately from a high burden of cardiovascular disease, which, despite recent scientific advances, remains partly understood. Vascular calcification (VC) is the result of an ongoing process of misplaced calcium in the inner and medial layers of the arteries, which has emerged as a critical contributor to cardiovascular events in CKD. Beyond its established role in blood clotting and bone health, vitamin K appears crucial in regulating VC via vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs). Among these, the matrix Gla protein (MGP) serves as both a potent inhibitor of VC and a valuable biomarker (in its inactive form) for reflecting circulating vitamin K levels. CKD patients, especially in advanced stages, often present with vitamin K deficiency due to dietary restrictions, medications, and impaired intestinal absorption in the uremic environment. Epidemiological studies confirm a strong association between vitamin K levels, inactive MGP, and increased CVD risk across CKD stages. Based on the promising results of pre-clinical data, an increasing number of clinical trials have investigated the potential benefits of vitamin K supplementation to prevent, delay, or even reverse VC, but the results have remained inconsistent.
ISSN:2072-6643
2072-6643
DOI:10.3390/nu16121798