Comparison of baseline characteristics between patients with and without renal end points.

<p>Abbreviations: LVH, left ventricular hypertrophy; BP, blood pressure; CKD, chronic kidney disease; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate.</p

Kaplan-Meier analysis of renal end points-free survival according to the tertiles of P wave dispersion (log-rank <i>P</i><0.001).

<p>The group with the highest two tertiles had a worse renal end points-free survival than that with the lowest tertile of P wave dispersion.</p

Kaplan-Meier analysis of renal end points-free survival according to the tertiles of maximum P wave duration (log-rank <i>P</i> = 0.003).

<p>The group with the highest tertile had a worse renal end points-free survival than that with the lowest tertile of maximum P wave duration.</p

Predictors of progression to renal end points of dialysis or death using Cox proportional hazards model.

<p>Values express as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).</p><p>Multivariate model: adjusted for age, sex, smoking history, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, albumin, fasting glucose, log triglycerides, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, baseline eGFR, calcium-phosphorus product, uric acid, and proteinuria.</p

Determinants of the eGFR slope.

<p>Abbreviations: eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate.</p><p>Values expressed as unstandardized coefficient β and 95% confidence interval (CI).</p><p>Multivariate model: adjusted for age, sex, smoking history, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, albumin, fasting glucose, log triglycerides, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, baseline eGFR, calcium-phosphorus product, uric acid, and proteinuria.</p

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Increases Risk of Developing End-Stage Renal Disease Using Competing Risk Analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are closely linked and both increase patient mortality. The association of HCV and risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has not been analyzed with competing risk model.</p><p>Method</p><p>We enrolled a prospective cohort of 4,185 patients (mean age, 62 years; 41% female) registered in the CKD integrated care program at two affiliated hospitals of Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan between November 11, 2002 and May 31, 2009. With competing risk model, we analyzed the association of HCV infection, defined by seropositive of anti-HCV antibody, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, defined by seropositive of HBV surface antigen, with the risk of entering ESRD.</p><p>Results</p><p>The prevalence of HCV infection was 7.6% and it increased with the CKD stages (trend test, <i>P</i><0.001), while the prevalence of HBV infection was 7.4% and no specific trend among CKD stages (tend test, <i>P</i> = 0.1). During the 9,101 person-year follow-up period, there were 446 death and 1,205 patients entering ESRD. After adjusting death as the competing risk, the estimated 5-year cumulative incidence rate of ESRD among patients with and without HCV infection were 52.6% and 38.4%, respectively (modified log-rank, <i>P</i><0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that HCV infection, but not HBV infection, had higher risk of developing ESRD compared with cases without infection (HCV, HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07–1.62; HBV, HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.89–1.35). Subgroup analyses showed consistent results.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>With death-adjusted competing risk analysis, HCV infection is associated with an increased risk of developing ESRD in CKD cohort.</p></div

Anemia modifies the prognostic value of glycated hemoglobin in patients with diabetic chronic kidney disease

<div><p>A common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), anemia can influence glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. In diabetic patients, anemia occurs earlier and with higher severity over the course of CKD stages. To elucidate the effect of hemoglobin (Hb) on the predictive value of HbA1c, we enrolled 1558 diabetic patients with stages 3–4 CKD, categorized according to baseline Hb and HbA1c quartiles. Linear regression revealed that higher HbA1c correlated significantly with higher Hb in the Hb < 10 g/dL group (β = 0.146, <i>P</i> = 0.004). A fully-adjusted Cox regression model revealed worse clinical outcomes in patients with higher HbA1c quartiles in the Hb ≥ 10 g/dL group. Hazard ratios for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), all-cause mortality, and composite endpoint (cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality) in patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dL and the highest HbA1c quartile were 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–3.15), 1.76 (95% CI, 1.02–3.03), and 1.54 (95% CI, 1.03–2.31), respectively. By contrast, HbA1c was not associated with clinical outcomes in the Hb < 10 g/dL group. In conclusion, in stages 3–4 diabetic CKD, higher HbA1c is associated with a higher risk of poor clinical outcomes in patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dL.</p></div

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection at chronic kidney disease stages.

<p>Different prevalence between various stages of chronic kidney disease was analyzed by trend test. The <i>P</i> value was <0.001 in hepatitis C infected cases, and <i>P</i> = 0.1 in hepatitis B virus infected cases.</p

Multivariable linear regression of HbA1c levels.

<p>Multivariable linear regression of HbA1c levels.</p

Quintile 5 of other lipid profile (<i>vs.</i> quintile 2) and renal replacement therapy and rapid renal progression in all subjects.

<p>Values expressed as hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) (HR [95% CI]) and odds ratio (OR [95% CI]).</p><p>Adjusted for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, current smoker, body mass index, mean arterial pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, log-transformed urine protein, albumin, hemoglobin, log-transformed C-reactive protein, glycated hemoglobin, uric acid, phosphate, statin and fibrate.</p>*<p><i>P</i><0.05;</p>**<p><i>P</i><0.001 compared to quintile 2.</p