AIM  To evaluate the correlation between serum SGK1 (serum glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1) level, peritoneal dialysis fluid albumin (Alb) level and vascular calcification in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

  METHODS  A total of 196 consecutive patients receiving PD at an outpatient clinic between September 2018 to October 2020 were selected as research subjects. The abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) of all the subjects was assessed by lumbar lateral X-rays. Demographic data were collected and biochemical indicators including SGK1 level and Alb level were measured. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to detect the relationship between SGK1 level, peritoneal dialysis fluid Alb level and AAC score, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the ability of SGK1 and peritoneal dialysis fluid Alb levels to detect vascular calcification.

  RESULTS  According to the AAC score, 108 (55%) patients had no vascular calcification and 88 (45%) patients had vascular calcification. Compared with patients with AAC score ≤7 group, the age, dialysis time, number of diabetes and the levels of Alb, OPG, NT-proBNP and SGK1 in AAC score>7 group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The serum SGK1 level (r=0.542, P<0.01) and the peritoneal dialysis fluid Alb level (r=0.381, P<0.01) were positively correlated with the AAC score. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that age, dialysis time, diabetes, increased SGK1 level and increased dialysis fluid Alb level were independent risk factors for vascular calcification in PD patients. The area under the ROC curve of SGK1 and Alb levels for detecting vascular calcification were respectively 0.85 (95%CI:0.755～0.922, P<0.01) and 0.63 (95%CI:0.548～0.708, P<0.01).

  CONCLUSION  Higher levels of SGK1 and peritoneal dialysis fluid Alb are associated with vascular calcification in PD patients.