Table 4. Multivariate analysis.

	P -value	Hazard ratio	95% CI
For PFS
Concomitant bisphosphonates vs not	<0.0001	3.226	1.749–5.950
Baseline platelets <400 000 mm−3 vs >400 000 mm−3	0.001	3.381	1.620–7.055
Baseline neutrophils >4500 mm−3 vs <4500 mm−3	0.027	0.512	0.284–0.925
For OS
Concomitant bisphosphonates vs not	0.014	1.977	1.147–3.408
Clear cell histology vs other histology	0.040	2.431	1.041–5.681
Baseline platelets <400 000 mm−3vs >400 000 mm−3	0.047	2.340	1.011–5.415
Baseline ECOG PS >0 vs 0	0.065	0.589	0.336–1.034

Abbreviations: ECOG PS=Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; OS=overall survival; PFS=progression-free survival.

The factors that were included for multivariate analysis for PFS were: baseline neutrophil count; baseline platelet count; time from diagnosis metastases to start TKIs; presence of liver metastases; prior nephrectomy vs no prior nephrectomy; sunitinib vs sorafenib; administration of bisphosphonates.

The factors that were included for multivariate analysis for OS were: baseline neutrophil count; baseline platelet count; baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; presence of liver metastases; prior nephrectomy vs no prior nephrectomy; sunitinib vs sorafenib; clear cell histology vs other histology; administration of bisphosphonates.

Baseline lactate dehydrogenase was not taken into account because few patients presented with elevated values.

Note: On multivariate analysis for PFS, the P-value for the parameter ‘time from diagnosis metastases to start TKIs ⩽6 months or >6 months’ was 0.38. The P-value for the parameter ‘sunitinib vs sorafenib’ was 0.22. On multivariate analysis for OS, the P-value for the parameter ‘sunitinib vs sorafenib’ was 0.51.