Vitamin K1 to Slow Progression of Vascular Calcification in HD Patients
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2020-07-17
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients on hemodialysis (HD) exhibit an immensely increased cardiovascular mortality
associated with extensive vascular calcification (VC). In the past years the development of
VC was discovered to be actively regulated and as being influenced by inhibitors of
calcification (e.g. matrix-Gla-protein, fetuin-A). MGP is produced by vascular smooth muscle
cells and needs post-translational modification by vitamin K dependent gamma-carboxylation to
be fully active. Based on the demonstration of increased PIVKA-II levels, about 97% of all HD
patients exhibit insufficient carboxylation activity. We therefore aim in this randomized,
controlled study to retard the progress of coronary and aortal calcification as assessed by
thoracic multislice-CT by the thrice weekly administration of 5 mg vitamin K1 (phylloquinone)
to about 100 HD patients over a period of 18 months.