Table 1. Baseline characteristics of pre-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients, by treatment options.
| Treatment | ARB only | ACEI only | ACEI /ARB | ACEI and ARB | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N = 8,203 | N = 3,810 | N = 1,095 | N = 1,009 | ||
| Age, mean (SD), y | 64.5 (12.9) | 65.0(13.3) | 64.2 (13.1) | 65.0 (13.5) | |
| Age, group, y | 0.03 | ||||
| 20–44 | 583 (7.1) | 288 (7.6) | 73 (6.7) | 88 (8.7) | |
| 45–64 | 3,219 (39.2) | 1,404 (36.9) | 436 (39.8) | 361 (35.8) | |
| 65–74 | 2,423 (29.5) | 1,105 (29) | 326 (29.8) | 297 (29.4) | |
| 75–100 | 1,978 (24.1) | 1,013 (26.6) | 260 (23.7) | 263 (26.1) | |
| Gender | 0.17 | ||||
| Male | 3,786 (46.2) | 1,832 (48.1) | 495 (45.2) | 464 (46) | |
| Comorbid conditions within 3 y before the index date | |||||
| Diabetes | 4,826 (58.8) | 2,000 (52.5) | 315 (28.8) | 296 (29.3) | <0.01 |
| MI | 2,100 (25.6) | 969 (25.4) | 673 (61.5) | 649 (64.3) | <0.01 |
| CHF | 1,117 (13.6) | 547 (14.4) | 178 (16.3) | 179 (17.7) | <0.01 |
| AF | 162 (2) | 85 (2.2) | 24 (2.2) | 20 (2) | 0.81 |
| Stroke | 1,536 (18.7) | 704 (18.5) | 217 (19.8) | 253 (25.1) | <0.01 |
| PAOD | 108 (1.3) | 54 (1.4) | 14 (1.3) | 20 (2) | 0.39 |
| Cancer | 658 (8) | 353 (9.3) | 91 (8.3) | 70 (6.9) | 0.05 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index score | <0.01 | ||||
| <3 | 2,887 (35.2) | 1,451 (38.1) | 358 (32.7) | 314 (31.1) | |
| 4–5 | 3,143 (38.3) | 1,246 (32.7) | 385 (35.2) | 363 (36) | |
| >5 | 2,173 (26.5) | 1,113 (29.2) | 352 (32.2) | 332 (32.9) | |
| Mean(SD) | 4.4 (2.2) | 4.4 (2.4) | 4.6 (2.3) | 4.7 (2.3) | |
| Nephrologist visits within 3 y before the index date | <0.01 | ||||
| 0 | 1,400 (17.1) | 987 (25.9) | 271 (24.8) | 212 (21) | |
| 1–6 | 1,958 (23.9) | 1,093 (28.7) | 365 (33.3) | 217 (21.5) | |
| >6 | 4,845 (59.1) | 1,730 (45.4) | 459 (41.9) | 580 (57.5) | |
| Anti-hypertensive drugs used | |||||
| Alpha-blockers | 1,824 (22.2) | 897 (23.5) | 284 (25.9) | 322 (31.9) | <0.01 |
| Beta-blockers | 3,489 (42.5) | 1,478 (38.8) | 566 (51.7) | 520 (51.5) | <0.01 |
| Calcium channel blockers | |||||
| Non-DHP | 780 (9.5) | 464 (12.2) | 166 (15.2) | 264 (26.2) | <0.01 |
| DHP | 5,768 (70.3) | 2,509 (65.9) | 829 (75.7) | 778 (77.1) | <0.01 |
| Diuretics | |||||
| Thiazides | 804 (9.8) | 356 (9.3) | 143 (13.1) | 137 (13.6) | <0.01 |
| Loop diuretics | 4,967 (60.6) | 2,219 (58.2) | 757 (69.1) | 668 (66.2) | <0.01 |
| Other Anti-hypertensive drugs | 862 (10.5) | 443 (11.6) | 202 (18.5) | 233 (23.1) | <0.01 |
| NaHCO3 | 1,249 (15.2) | 675 (17.7) | 202 (18.5) | 267 (26.5) | <0.01 |
| Calcium polystyrene sulfonate or sodium polystyrene sulfonate | 1,622 (19.8) | 717 (18.8) | 213 (19.5) | 345 (34.2) | <0.01 |
| Geographic location in Taiwan | <0.01 | ||||
| Northern | 3,627 (44.2) | 1,391 (36.5) | 300 (27.4) | 343 (34) | |
| Middle | 1,820 (22.2) | 1,048 (27.5) | 332 (30.3) | 175 (17.3) | |
| Southern | 2,521 (30.7) | 1,301 (34.2) | 436 (39.8) | 479 (47.5) | |
| Eastern or other islands | 235 (2.9) | 70 (1.8) | 27 (2.5) | 12 (1.2) | |