Pulse wave velocity is a measurement of arterial stiffness and associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Previous reports in peritoneal dialysis have linked increased pulse wave velocity with an expansion in extracellular water. As cardiovascular mortality is increased in peritoneal dialysis patient, we wished to determine whether changes in pulse wave velocity mirrored changes in extracellular water.

We repeated aortic pulse wave velocity and bioimpedance-derived extracellular water measurements in peritoneal dialysis patients attending for assessment of peritoneal membrane function.

Sixty-six patients, 41 males (62.1%), mean age of 66.2 ± 13.9 years, median duration of peritoneal dialysis treatment (14.3 (3.1–31.9) months) had repeated measurement 6.4 (5.8–10.2) months apart, with no significant change in aortic pulse wave velocity (10.1 ± 3.2 to 9.9 ± 2.8 m/s). In univariate analysis, the initial aortic pulse wave velocity was associated with extracellular water (r = 0.26, p = 0.034) and serum N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide (r = 0.25, p = 0.04), and on follow-up, aortic pulse wave velocity with N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide (r = 0.31, p = 0.01). Aortic pulse wave velocity increased in 50% of patients, and these patients had greater serum C-reactive protein 3(2–10) versus 2(1–4) mg/L, and ferritin (778(444–1099) versus 585(313–811), p < 0.05), but there were no differences in either absolute or adjusted extracellular water. Both log C-reactive protein (odds ratio 4.7 (95% confidence limits 1.3–17.1), p = 0.019) and prescription of calcium channel blockers (odds ratio 4.9 (95% confidence limits 1.2–19.1), p = 0.024) were independently associated with an increase in aortic pulse wave velocity.

We did not find an independent association between a change in aortic pulse wave velocity and extracellular water, suggesting that changes in aortic stiffness in peritoneal dialysis patients are more complex than simply following changes in extracellular water.