Table 1 Clinical characteristics of the subjects enrolled

Age (years)

70.4 ± 8.0

72.0 ± 7.6

0.57

Gender (male/female)

15/2

9/6

0.08

Body mass index (kg/m²)

20.9 ± 2.6

23.4 ± 3.7

0.04

Diabetes mellitus (n, %)

11, 64.7 %

15, 100 %

0.01

Cardiovascular disease (n, %)

14, 82.4 %

14, 93.3 %

0.35

Cerebrovascular disease (n, %)

5, 29.4 %

5, 33.3 %

0.56

Duration of hemodialysis (years)

10.6 ± 9.1

9.9 ± 8.4

0.98

Laboratory data

 Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

161.2 ± 41.3

178.5 ± 46.3

0.24

 Triglyceride (mg/dL)

98.1 ± 78.5

127.6 ± 48.0

0.03

 High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mg/dL)

52.1 ± 15.2

52.1 ± 14.0

0.99

 C-reactive protein (mg/dL)

0.34 ± 0.63

0.44 ± 0.66

0.30

 Albumin (g/dL)

3.51 ± 0.32

3.43 ± 0.28

0.46

Medications

 Statin (n, %)

4, 23.5 %

8, 53.3 %

0.08

 Erythropoietin, darbepoetin alfa (n, %)

8, 47.1 %

7, 46.7 %

0.98

 Erythropoietin, epoetin beta pegol (n, %)

5, 29.4 %

5, 33.3 %

0.81

 Anti-platelet (n, %)

17, 100 %

15, 100 %

N/A

 Warfarin (n, %)

2, 11.8 %

4, 26.7 %

0.27

 Anti-hypertensive, ARB (n, %)

2, 11.8 %

1, 6.7 %

0.55

 Anti-hypertensive, Ca antagonist (n, %)

4, 23.5 %

4, 26.7 %

0.58

 Anti-hypertensive, Beta blocker (n, %)

3, 17.6 %

5, 33.3 %

0.27

 Anti-hypertensive, Alpha blocker (n, %)

2, 11.8 %

0, 0 %

0.27