Baseline characteristics of the patients
| Characteristic, n (%) | Reference ESA (n=1409) | Methoxy Polyethylene Glycol-Epoetin Beta (n=1409) |
|---|---|---|
| Median age, yr (interquartile range) | 65 (53–74) | 64 (53–74) |
| Men | 828 (59) | 805 (57) |
| Region | ||
| Europe | 1038 (74) | 1039 (74) |
| Asia | 162 (11) | 150 (11) |
| Australia | 73 (5) | 75 (5) |
| Latin America | 136 (10) | 145 (10) |
| Treatment condition | ||
| Correction | 273 (19) | 273 (19) |
| Maintenance | 1136 (81) | 1136 (81) |
| On dialysis | 1173 (83) | 1194 (85) |
| Years receiving dialysis | n=1173 | n=1194 |
| <1 | 290 (25) | 288 (24) |
| 1–3 | 432 (37) | 429 (36) |
| >3 | 451 (38) | 477 (40) |
| Dialysis modality | n=1173 | n=1194 |
| Peritoneal dialysis | 81 (7) | 91 (8) |
| Hemodialysis | 1092 (93) | 1103 (92) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors and history | ||
| Ischemic heart disease | 420 (30) | 376 (27) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 234 (17) | 200 (14) |
| Cerebral vascular disease | 137 (10) | 131 (9) |
| Congestive heart failure | 202 (14) | 192 (14) |
| NYHA class I | 54 (4) | 47 (3) |
| NYHA class II | 121 (9) | 112 (8) |
| NYHA class III | 30 (2) | 41 (3) |
| NYHA class IV | 10 (1) | 15 (1) |
| Unknown | 5 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Venous thrombosis | 165 (12) | 164 (12) |
| Hypertension | 1267 (90) | 1268 (90) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 776 (55) | 759 (54) |
| Diabetes | 495 (35) | 496 (35) |
| C-reactive protein ≤30 mg/L | 1288/1386 (93) | 1283/1379 (93) |
There were no significant differences between the two arms with regard to any baseline characteristics. ESA, erythropoiesis-stimulating agent; NYHA, New York Heart Association.