The Study
#5745 CORRELATION BETWEEN MATRIX GLA PROTEIN LEVEL AND EFFECT OF VITAMIN K2 THERAPY ON VASCULAR CALCIFICATION IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS
This study gave some dialysis patients vitamin K2 and saw if their artery calcification got better. It found that those who took it had less of a bad protein and slightly less calcification, but we can't be 100% sure it was the vitamin K2 that did it because no one was blinded. So it suggests it might help, but doesn't prove it.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Some kidney patients on dialysis get calcium buildup in their arteries. This study gave them vitamin K2 to see if it helps.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 549 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The drop in calcification is meaningful but small — it suggests vitamin K2 may slow worsening in those already affected, but won't prevent it in healthy arteries.
- 2In patients with calcium buildup: vitamin K2 lowered a bad marker (dp-ucMGP) by 21.3% and reduced artery calcification by 15.1%.
- 3In patients without calcification: vitamin K2 lowered the marker but didn't stop calcification from starting.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
Year
2023
Authors
M. Taher, E. Wafa, N. Sayed-ahmed, Khaled el Dahshan
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking 360 micrograms of vitamin K2 daily for two years leads to less buildup of calcium in the arteries than taking a placebo.
In people undergoing hemodialysis who do not already have calcium buildup in their blood vessels, taking 180 micrograms of vitamin K2 daily for one year does not change the amount of calcium buildup in the aorta compared to not taking it.
In patients undergoing hemodialysis with vascular calcification, taking 180 micrograms of vitamin K2 daily for one year is associated with a 21.3% decrease in dp-ucMGP levels and a 15.1% decrease in aortic calcification measured by Agatston score.
In people undergoing hemodialysis, taking vitamin K2 supplements lowers dp-ucMGP levels, a marker of vitamin K2 status, but this change does not stop vascular calcification from developing in those who do not already have it.
In a study of vitamin K2 in hemodialysis patients that did not use blinding, the observed decreases in vascular calcification and dp-ucMGP levels may be unreliable due to biases in how outcomes were measured or reported.
In hemodialysis patients, higher levels of dephosphorylated uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein are associated with more severe vascular calcification.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.