Why does chronic kidney disease increase risk of arterial calcification, specifically impacting elastin fibers?

💡 Explanation

Reduced Klotho expression, a consequence of chronic kidney disease, diminishes its inhibitory effect on the renal sodium-phosphate cotransporter, increasing phosphate reabsorption and serum phosphate levels. This promotes calcium phosphate precipitation and deposition in arterial elastin, causing calcification, because elevated phosphate directly favors calcification rather than inhibiting it; therefore, Klotho deficiency causes increased calcification risk rather than decreased.

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