Type III collagen abundantly exists in the cardiovascular system including the aorta and heart. The aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) is an extension peptide of type III procollagen, which is cleaved off stoichiometrically during conversion from type III procollagen to type III collagen and liberated to serum. Elevated serum concentrations of PIIINP are considered a marker of higher collagen turnover and tissue fibrosis including the heart and vascular system. In this study, the investigators prospectively examined whether serum levels of PIIINP could be a biomarker for predicting cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients.
This study evaluates whether circulating levels of aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) can predict the cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients.