Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Levels and Mortality of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Objective: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is considered a biomarker of high bone turnover in hemodialysis (HD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. This study was conducted to determine whether high serum ALP levels are associated with increased all-cause mortality of HD patients. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single center. The subjects were 195 patients on chronic HD therapy who were followed up for a 5 years, and relationships between their baseline data and outcomes were assessed statistically. The serum ALP level was used as the predictor, and the primary end point was all-cause mortality. Results: Based on the median serum ALP of 236 IU/L, the subjects were divided into a low-ALP group (Conclusion: High baseline serum ALP levels are associated with increased mortality of HD patients, independent of bone metabolism parameters and serum liver enzyme levels. ALP is a potential target for the treatment of HD patients.