Neuropeptide Y levels are associated with nutritional status and cardiovascular events in adults with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Neuropeptide Y (NpY) is an important factor in neuropeptide signalling, and significantly change in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, the role of NpY remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations between NpY levels, nutritional status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with CKD. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cohort study, we performed Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple linear regressions to assess the relationship between CSF and serum NpY levels, as well as nutritional indices. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of CSF NpY levels. As NpY affects the cardiovascular system, Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to investigate the relationship between serum NpY levels and CVD. RESULTS: CSF NpY levels and nutritional indices were related during CKD progression (energy intake: ß=0.236, P<0.001; mid-arm muscle circumference: ß=0.953, P=0.014; prealbumin: ß=0.067, P<0.001), and had high specificity (79.9%). High serum NpY levels may be a risk factor associated with CVD (relative risk=1.8015, 95% confidence interval: 1.0509-3.0881). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested a relationship between CSF NpY levels and nutritional indices in CKD patients. High serum NpY concentrations may be a risk factor associated with CVD.