Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (816 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An abnormal direct communication between an artery and a vein without passing through the capillaries. An A-V fistula usually leads to the formation of a dilated sac-like connection, arteriovenous aneurysm. The locations and size of the shunts determine the degree of effects on the cardiovascular functions such as blood pressure and heart rate.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Fistula, Arteriovenous; Fistulas, Arteriovenous; Arteriovenous Fistulas; Arteriovenous Aneurysm; Aneurysm, Arteriovenous.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Arteriovenous Malformations; Vascular Fistula
- Narrower topics
- Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula
- See also
- Arteriovenous Malformations
Related concepts
- Capillaries
- Blood Pressure
- Heart Rate
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 16,494 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Arteriovenous Fistula” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 2,000 of them (12.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 9,009 records.
Reviews account for 1,276 records (7.7%) and meta-analyses for 47. Randomized controlled trials number 71 (0.4%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 9,009 |
| 2000-2009 | 2,407 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,078 |
| 2020 onward | 2,000 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,276 | 7.7% |
| Meta-analyses | 47 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 71 | 0.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Arteriovenous Fistula"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in rare and inherited diseases
Rare conditions are difficult to study: few patients means small studies, case reports and registries are common, and randomized trials are the exception. Small samples limit precision and can exaggerate effects, and cases reported in the literature may be the most severe or unusual. Evidence from many small studies is best read together. Check how patients were identified, how many were included and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Risk factors for arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in hemodialysis patients: a retrospective study [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the first choice of vascular access in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
- Closing excerpt
- Positive intervention strategies targeting these potential factors, such as weight loss or oral phosphate binders could improve the long-term success of AVF.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (233 words)
Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the first choice of vascular access in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, the correlations between patient factors and the arteriovenous fistula patency remain unclear. Therefore, our study investigates the risk factors associated with AVF dysfunction in HD patients. A total of 233 end-stage renal disease (ESDR) patients who met the study inclusion criteria in the Nephrology Department of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital between December 2020 and June 2022 were included in this study. The baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were collected at the time of AVF creation and analyzed. Of the 233 ESRD patients, 146 (62.7%) were male and the mean age was 56.11 ± 12.14 (21-82) years. The patients were followed for a median time of 14 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 6-, 12- and 24-month post-placement survival of 87.1%, 82.8% and 80.7%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed weight (HR, 1.03; P = 0.03) as a predictor for the loss of vascular access functionality. In addition, multivariate Cox regression analysis further demonstrated that sex (HR, 3.41; P = 0.03), weight (HR 1.08; P < 0.01) and phosphorus level (HR: 3.03; P = 0.01) are independent risk factors for AVF dysfunction. AVF dysfunction is highly associated with several risk factors including weight, phosphorus level, and sex. Positive intervention strategies targeting these potential factors, such as weight loss or oral phosphate binders could improve the long-term success of AVF.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 38044365 · DOI · PMC10694134
Targeting the Crosstalk of Immune Response and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Phenotype Switch for Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Plaque formation, thrombosis, and embolism are the underlying causes of acute cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke while early thrombosis and stenosis are common pathologies for the maturation failure of arteriovenous fistula (AVF).
- Closing excerpt
- The results of this study support that regulating or targeting immune cell infiltration and function might be a therapeutic strategy to mitigate the effects of chronic inflammation to attenuate plaque formation, early thrombosis, and stenosis, and thus enhance AVF maturation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (226 words)
Plaque formation, thrombosis, and embolism are the underlying causes of acute cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke while early thrombosis and stenosis are common pathologies for the maturation failure of arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Chronic inflammation is a common underlying pathogenesis mediated by innate and adaptive immune response involving infiltration of immune cells and secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Impaired immune cell infiltration and change in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype play a crucial role in the underlying pathophysiology. However, the change in the phenotype of VSMCs in a microenvironment of immune cell infiltration and increased secretion of cytokines have not been investigated. Since change in VSMC phenotype regulates vessel remodeling after intimal injury, in this study, we investigated the effect of macrophages and pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, on the change in VSMC phenotype under in vitro conditions. We also investigated the expression of the markers of VSMC phenotypes in arteries with atherosclerotic plaques and VSMCs isolated from control arteries. We found that the inhibition of cytokine downstream signaling may mitigate the effect of cytokines on the change in VSMCs phenotype. The results of this study support that regulating or targeting immune cell infiltration and function might be a therapeutic strategy to mitigate the effects of chronic inflammation to attenuate plaque formation, early thrombosis, and stenosis, and thus enhance AVF maturation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36233314 · DOI · PMC9570261
Development and Validation of a Machine Learning Model Predicting Arteriovenous Fistula Failure in a Large Network of Dialysis Clinics [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background: Vascular access surveillance of dialysis patients is a challenging task for clinicians.
- Closing excerpt
- Therefore, it can potentially enable risk-based personalization of AVF surveillance strategies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (198 words)
Background: Vascular access surveillance of dialysis patients is a challenging task for clinicians. We derived and validated an arteriovenous fistula failure model (AVF-FM) based on machine learning. Methods: The AVF-FM is an XG-Boost algorithm aimed at predicting AVF failure within three months among in-centre dialysis patients. The model was trained in the derivation set (70% of initial cohort) by exploiting the information routinely collected in the Nephrocare European Clinical Database (EuCliD®). Model performance was tested by concordance statistic and calibration charts in the remaining 30% of records. Features importance was computed using the SHAP method. Results: We included 13,369 patients, overall. The Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC-ROC) of AVF-FM was 0.80 (95% CI 0.79-0.81). Model calibration showed excellent representation of observed failure risk. Variables associated with the greatest impact on risk estimates were previous history of AVF complications, followed by access recirculation and other functional parameters including metrics describing temporal pattern of dialysis dose, blood flow, dynamic venous and arterial pressures. Conclusions: The AVF-FM achieved good discrimination and calibration properties by combining routinely collected clinical and sensor data that require no additional effort by healthcare staff. Therefore, it can potentially enable risk-based personalization of AVF surveillance strategies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34886080 · DOI · PMC8656573
Genotype-phenotype correlations and protein domain-level predictors of cerebrovascular malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundHereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) exhibits marked phenotypic heterogeneity.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings support age- and genotype-informed risk stratification and may help refine screening strategies in HHT patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (159 words)
BackgroundHereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) exhibits marked phenotypic heterogeneity. Although gene-organ associations are well established for visceral involvement, predictors of cerebrovascular malformations (CVMs), particularly brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), remain incompletely defined. This study aimed to investigate genotype-phenotype correlations and identify predictors of bAVMs in a genetically confirmed HHT cohort.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 142 Caucasian patients with genetically confirmed HHT. Clinical manifestations were systematically assessed and correlated with the mutated gene (ENG, ACVRL1, and SMAD4), variant type (truncating vs. non-truncating), and protein domain location. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of bAVMs.ResultsThe cohort included 83 (58.5%) ACVRL1 and 53 (37.3%) ENG mutation carriers. Bivariate analysis demonstrated distinct phenotypic patterns. ENG mutations were strongly associated with pulmonary AVMs (p ConclusionENG mutation carriers display a markedly increased cerebrovascular burden, confirming a gene-specific susceptibility to bAVMs. Younger age independently predicts bAVM presence. These findings support age- and genotype-informed risk stratification and may help refine screening strategies in HHT patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41915210 · DOI · PMC13038781
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Carotid-cavernous fistulas [5]
- Research article Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulae [6]
- Research article Brain arteriovenous malformations: A review of natural history, pathobiology, and interventions [7]
- Research article Arteriovenous malformations: epidemiology and clinical presentation [8]
- Research article Prevalence and characteristics of brain arteriovenous malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis [9]
- Research article The Role of Shear Stress in Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation and Failure: A Systematic Review [10]
References
- Zhang F, Li J, Yu J, Jiang Y, Xiao H, Yang Y, et al.. Risk factors for arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in hemodialysis patients: a retrospective study. . 2023. PMID 38044365 · DOI · PMC10694134
- Rai V, Singh H, Agrawal DK. Targeting the Crosstalk of Immune Response and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Phenotype Switch for Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation. . 2022. PMID 36233314 · DOI · PMC9570261
- Peralta R, Garbelli M, Bellocchio F, Ponce P, Stuard S, Lodigiani M, et al.. Development and Validation of a Machine Learning Model Predicting Arteriovenous Fistula Failure in a Large Network of Dialysis Clinics. . 2021. PMID 34886080 · DOI · PMC8656573
- Sturiale CL, Cocilovo F, Trevisi G, Palermo M, Cordisco EL, Di Martino L, et al.. Genotype-phenotype correlations and protein domain-level predictors of cerebrovascular malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. . 2026. PMID 41915210 · DOI · PMC13038781
- Ellis JA, Goldstein H, Connolly ES, Meyers PM. Carotid-cavernous fistulas. Neurosurg Focus. 2012. PMID 22537135 · DOI
- Reynolds MR, Lanzino G, Zipfel GJ. Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulae. Stroke. 2017. PMID 28432263 · DOI · PMC5435465
- Chen CJ, Ding D, Derdeyn CP, Lanzino G, Friedlander RM, Southerland AM, et al.. Brain arteriovenous malformations: A review of natural history, pathobiology, and interventions. Neurology. 2020. PMID 33004601 · DOI
- Laakso A, Hernesniemi J. Arteriovenous malformations: epidemiology and clinical presentation. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2012. PMID 22107853 · DOI
- Brinjikji W, Iyer VN, Wood CP, Lanzino G. Prevalence and characteristics of brain arteriovenous malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurosurg. 2017. PMID 27767404 · DOI
- Browne LD, Bashar K, Griffin P, Kavanagh EG, Walsh SR, Walsh MT. The Role of Shear Stress in Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation and Failure: A Systematic Review. PLoS One. 2015. PMID 26716840 · DOI · PMC4696682
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
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