Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the risk factors associated with long-term radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula failure in dialysis patients.
Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled 81 patients diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease requiring arteriovenous fistula. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the long-term permeability of vascular access. The hospital’s electronic database was used to collect demographic data, risk factors, comorbidities, pre-operative laboratory data, and pre-operative vascular mapping characteristics.
Results: Among the patients with arteriovenous fistula failure, we observed a lower incidence of men (p=0.009), a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (p=0.036), and a higher incidence of active smoking (p=0.009). At ROC-curve analysis we identified an optimal cut-off value of 128.2 for glucose (AUC: 0.715, 66.7% Sensitivity, and 78.1% Specificity), 1.17 for leukocyte glucose index (AUC: 0.692, 60.0% Sensitivity, and 81.2% Specificity), and 7.33 for interleukin-6 (AUC: 0.925, 90.0% Sensitivity, and 84.6% Specificity). In Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis, there was a higher incidence of arteriovenous fistula failure among females (p=0.033), smokers (p<0.001), and patients undergoing hemodialysis via a central venous catheter at the time of admission (p=0.047). Cox-regression analysis indicates that female sex (HR: 3.43, p=0.033) and active smoking (HR: 5.02, p=0.002) are predictors of vascular access dysfunction. Additionally, elevated values of glucose (HR: 1.89, p=0.004), Interleukin-6 (HR: 2.78, p=0.001), and leukocyte glucose index (HR: 1.95, p=0.008) are associated with arteriovenous fistula failure.
Conclusions: In conclusion, female sex, active smoking, high baseline glucose levels, Interleukin-6, and leukocyte glucose index are linked to long-term failure of arteriovenous fistula failure.