Table 1.
Patient characteristics at the initiation of dialysis according to the absence or presence of AVF/AVG
| Variable | Without AVF/AVG (n = 3514) |
With AVF/AVG (n = 3026) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 67.0 ± 10.8 | 67.1 ± 10.7 | 0.38 |
| Sex (male) | 3439 (97.9) | 2964 (98.0) | 0.81 |
| Race | 0.84 | ||
| White | 2201 (62.6) | 1895 (62.6) | |
| African-American | 1236 (35.2) | 1067 (35.3) | |
| Asian | 49 (1.4) | 36 (1.2) | |
| Other | 28 (0.8) | 28 (0.9) | |
| Marital status | <0.001 | ||
| Married | 1599 (45.5) | 1614 (53.3) | |
| Divorced | 1049 (29.9) | 789 (26.1) | |
| Single | 396 (11.3) | 264 (8.7) | |
| Widow | 367 (10.4) | 285 (9.4) | |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 30.1 ± 7.1 | 30.5 ± 6.6 | 0.027 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 144.2 ± 21.4 | 144.4 ± 21.9 | 0.39 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 73.7 ± 12.2 | 73.8 ± 12.3 | 0.46 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 2629 (74.8) | 2265 (74.9) | 0.99 |
| Hypertension | 3463 (98.6) | 3017 (99.7) | <0.001 |
| Cardiovascular disease | 1671 (47.6) | 1276 (42.2) | <0.001 |
| Congestive heart failure | 2076 (59.1) | 1513 (50.0) | <0.001 |
| Liver disease | 560 (15.9) | 400 (13.2) | 0.002 |
| Malignancies | 956 (27.2) | 710 (23.5) | 0.001 |
| Charlson comorbidity index | 5 (3, 7) | 5 (3, 6) | <0.001 |
| Medications | |||
| ACEI/ARB use | 1993 (56.7) | 1472 (48.7) | <0.001 |
| Diuretic use | 2995 (85.2) | 2589 (85.6) | 0.71 |
| Statin use | 2393 (68.1) | 2066 (68.3) | 0.88 |
| Vitamin D analog use | 1091 (31.1) | 1553 (51.3) | <0.001 |
| Phosphate binder usea | 1432 (40.8) | 1543 (51.0) | <0.001 |
| Bicarbonate use | 1023 (29.1) | 909 (30.0) | 0.41 |
| ESA use | 1545 (44.0) | 1627 (53.8) | <0.001 |
| Aspirin use | 1666 (47.4) | 1129 (37.3) | <0.001 |
| Other anti-platelet use | 512 (14.6) | 363 (12.0) | 0.002 |
| Warfarin use | 357 (10.2) | 208 (6.9) | <0.001 |
| Laboratory parameters | |||
| Serum albumin (g/dL) | 3.2 ± 0.6 | 3.5 ± 0.5 | <0.001 |
| Serum cholesterol (mg/dL) | 155.7 ± 54.4 | 147.6 ± 46.1 | <0.001 |
| Serum bicarbonate (mEq/L) | 22.4 ± 3.9 | 22.2 ± 3.7 | 0.062 |
| Serum potassium (mEq/L) | 4.5 ± 0.5 | 4.5 ± 0.6 | 0.089 |
| Serum calcium (mg/dL) | 8.5 ± 0.7 | 8.7 ± 0.8 | <0.001 |
| Serum phosphorus (mg/dL) | 5.2 ± 1.3 | 5.3 ± 1.3 | 0.008 |
| Serum ALP (U/L) | 87 (68, 115) | 81 (64, 107) | <0.001 |
| Serum intact PTH (pg/mL) | 214 (122, 361) | 237 (138, 392) | <0.001 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 10.2 ± 1.4 | 10.5 ± 1.3 | <0.001 |
| Blood WBC (1000/mm3) | 8.0 ± 3.6 | 7.6 ± 2.4 | <0.001 |
| Serum urea nitrogen (mg/dL) | 66.7 ± 23.0 | 74.5 ± 21.4 | <0.001 |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dL) | 5.3 ± 2.4 | 6.1 ± 2.1 | <0.001 |
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 13.0 (9.6, 17.7) | 10.3 (8.0, 12.9) | <0.001 |
| Last outpatient eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 12.3 (8.6, 18.2) | 9.8 (7.5, 1.72) | <0.001 |
| Last eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 11.0 (7.7, 15.4) | 9.6 (7.2, 12.6) | <0.001 |
| Number of serum creatinine measurements | |||
| Pre-AVF/AVGb | 18 (11, 28) | 20 (12, 29) | 0.015 |
| Post-AVF/AVGb | 5 (4, 7) | 7 (4, 12) | <0.001 |
| Time period (years) | |||
| Pre-AVF/AVGb | 1.7 (0.7, 2.9) | 1.4 (0.5, 2.6) | <0.001 |
| Post-AVF/AVGb | 0.5 (0.5, 0.5) | 0.5 (0.2, 1.2) | <0.001 |
Data are presented as number (percentage), mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range).
AVF, arteriovenous fistula; AVG, arteriovenous graft; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; BP, blood pressure; ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; ESA, erythropoietin stimulating agent; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; WBC, white blood cell count; PTH, parathyroid hormone.
aPhosphate binders include calcium acetate, sevelamer or lanthanum.
bA 6-month time point prior to dialysis was used as the index date in patients without AVF/AVG.