Plasma and Urinary Platelet Factor 4 as Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Risk in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Children suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The early detection and diagnosis of subclinical CVD in pediatric CKD can reduce mortality later in life. Plasma factor 4 (PF4) is a chemokine released by activated platelets. We examined whether or not PF4 in the plasma and urine, its kidney function normalized ratio, and fractional excretion have differential associations with CVD risk markers in 139 youths aged 3 to 18 years old with CKD stages G1–G4. Significant negative correlations were observed between plasma PF4 and cardiovascular surrogate markers, such as the left ventricular mass index (LVMI), carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT), and pulse wave velocity (PWV). The plasma PF4/creatinine (Cr) ratio was lower in CKD children with a high daytime BP and 24 h BP, high BP load, and nocturnal non-dipping status. After adjusting for confounders, the plasma PF4 and plasma PF4/Cr ratio still independently predicted an abnormal ABPM profile. In addition, both the plasma PF4 and plasma PF4/Cr ratio presented a negative correlation with the L-arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio. These findings provide convincing evidence supporting the link between PF4 and CVD markers in pediatric CKD. Our study highlights the importance of further research to assess the performance of PF4-related biomarkers in predicting CVD events and CKD progression in children with CKD.