Table 1.

Clinical factors (and levels) tested in conjoint analysis clinical vignettes

Clinical Factor	Levels
Clinical scenario (site of care and illness severity)	(1) Outpatient, medically stable
	(2) Inpatient, nonmonitored bed, resolving pneumonia
	(3) Inpatient, nonmonitored bed, mild CHF exacerbation from ischemic cardiomyopathy, normal troponin
	(4) Inpatient, monitored hospital bed, rate-controlled atrial fibrillation, on warfarin (INR=2.5), normal troponin
	(5) Inpatient, monitored bed, chest pain, normal EKG, borderline troponin
Hemoglobin (g/dl)	(1) ≤7.5
	(2) 7.6–8.0
	(3) 8.1–8.5
	(4) 8.6–9.0
	(5) 9.1–9.5
	(6) 9.6–10.0
	(7) >10.0
Hemoglobin stability over time	(1) No change in hemoglobin level; stable over time
	(2) 0.5 g/dl drop over the past month
	(3) 0.5 g/dl drop over the past week
	(4) 1.0 g/dl drop over the past month
	(5) 1.0 g/dl drop over the past week
Evidence of occult blood in stool	(1) Yes but no evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding
	(2) No
Patient transplant eligibility	(1) Ineligible
	(2) Eligible but currently unlisted
	(3) Eligible and currently listed
Age (yr)	(1) <45
	(2) 45–54
	(3) 55–64
	(4) 65–74
	(5) 75–84
	(6) ≥85
ESA status	(1) Patient is on an ESA; hemoglobin is highly responsive to dosing
	(2) Patient is on an ESA; hemoglobin is only moderately responsive to dosing
	(3) Patient is on an ESA; hemoglobin is poorly responsive to dosing
Functional status	(1) No limitations; no symptoms while performing ordinary physical activities like walking or climbing stairs
	(2) Mild limitations; slight shortness of breath and/or fatigue during ordinary activities like walking or climbing stairs
	(3) Moderate limitations; shortness of breath and/or fatigue while performing even less than ordinary activities like walking short distances
	(4) Severe limitations; shortness of breath and/or fatigue even at rest; mostly bedbound
Cardiovascular disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, history of stroke, or heart attack)	(1) No cardiovascular disease
	(2) Single cardiovascular morbidity
	(3) Multiple cardiovascular morbidities
Iron indices	(1) Iron deficiency (e.g., low iron, TSAT<20%, ferritin<100 ng/ml)
	(2) Iron replete (e.g., normal iron, TSAT>20%, ferritin>200 ng/ml)
	(3) Chronic disease (e.g., low iron, TIBC>300, ferritin>500 ng/ml)

CHF, congestive heart failure; INR, international normalized ratio; EKG, electrocardiogram; ESA, erythropoiesis-stimulating agent; TSAT, transferrin saturation; TIBC, total iron-binding capacity.