Prior research suggests that endothelial dysfunction (ED) is common and occurs much earlier than kidney function impairment in patients with ADPKD. However, data are lacking on the impact of smoking on ED in this patient population. Researchers conducted a study to investigate the possible contribution of smoking habited to ED and subclinical atherosclerosis among patients with ADPKD and preserved renal function when compared with healthy controls.
Patients with ADPKD had significantly lower ischemia-induced forearm flow-mediated dilation (FMD), an assessment of ED (16.56 vs 19.5). Participants with ADPKD who smoked, when compared with those who did not, had significantly lower FMD values (13.79 vs 18.19). Upon multiple regression analysis, age was an independent predictor for FMD, while smoking was an independent predictor for carotid intima-media thickness.
