# Role of Mediterranean Diet Adherence on Endothelial Dysfunction in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Patients

## TL;DR

This study shows that following a Mediterranean diet is linked to better endothelial function in patients with a genetic kidney disease called ADPKD.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate the effect of Mediterranean diet adherence on endothelial function in ADPKD patients.

## Key findings

- Higher Med-diet adherence was associated with increased nitric oxide (NO) levels in ADPKD patients.
- Patients with high Med-diet adherence had lower endothelin-1 (ET-1) serum concentrations.
- Statistical associations were confirmed through both univariable and multivariable regression analyses.

## Abstract

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive kidney enlargement by cyst formation. Endothelial dysfunction significantly contributes to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Mediterranean diet (Med-diet) may reduce endothelial dysfunction in ADPKD patients, but its effect was not investigated in these patients. Our aim was to assess the relationship between Med-diet adherence and endothelial function biomarkers such as nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1). We enrolled ADPKD patients aged 18–70 years with CKD stages G2–G4. Adherence to the Med-diet was evaluated using the PREDIMED questionnaire. NO and ET-1 were evaluated at enrolment. Correlations and associations between these markers and Med-diet adherence were analysed. We enrolled 63 patients with ADPKD (mean age was 50.0 ± 11.8 years, 66.7% were female). A low/intermediate adherence to Med-Diet was assessed in 47 (74.6%) patients. When comparing patients with low/intermediate and high adherence, we found a higher NO and lower ET-1 serum concentration (p < 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively) in patients with high adherence compared with low/intermediate ones. We found a significant correlation between Med-Diet adherence and NO (Spearman’s rs = 0.696, p < 0.001, 95%CI 0.542 to 0.805) and ET-1 serum concentrations (rs = −0.387, p = 0.002, 95%CI −0.579 to −0.154). For the univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses, we found an association between Med-Diet and NO (B: 0.547, 95%CI 0.050 to 0.121, p < 0.001) between Med-Diet and ET-1 (B: −0.327, 95%CI −0.157 to −0.020, p = 0.012). In conclusion, higher Med-Diet adherence seems to be associated with more favourable endothelial function in ADPKD patients.