Published online Dec 24, 2015. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v5.i4.267
Peer-review started: July 27, 2015
First decision: August 25, 2015
Revised: October 9, 2015
Accepted: November 3, 2015
Article in press: November 4, 2015
Published online: December 24, 2015
Processing time: 150 Days and 6.1 Hours
Core tip: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity even after renal transplantation. Classical cardiovascular risk factors are insufficient to explain the entire story in the development of atherosclerosis. The existence of endothelial dysfunction may serve as a marker of a poor cardiovascular outcome. The need for a reliable and clinically significant marker of early vascular disease and endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis and early detection of graft rejection in renal transplant recipients is emerging. Although the precise molecular mechanism of microparticle formation is not clear, it has recently emerged as a marker of vascular disease. The dynamics of circulating endothelial microparticles in CKD and transplantation will be reviewed in this manuscript.