GSK343 modulates macrophage M2 polarization through the EZH2/MST1/YAP1 signaling axis to mitigate neurological damage induced by hypercalcemia in CKD mice.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) often culminates in hypercalcemia, instigating severe neurological injuries that are not yet fully understood. This study unveils a mechanism, where GSK343 ameliorates CKD-induced neural damage in mice by modulating macrophage polarization through the EZH2/MST1/YAP1 signaling axis. Specifically, GSK343 downregulated the expression of histone methyltransferase EZH2 and upregulated MST1, which suppressed YAP1, promoting M2 macrophage polarization and thereby, alleviating neural injury in hypercalcemia arising from renal failure. This molecular pathway introduced herein not only sheds light on the cellular machinations behind CKD-induced neurological harm but also paves the way for potential therapeutic interventions targeting the identified axis, especially considering the M2 macrophage polarization as a potential strategy to mitigate hypercalcemia-induced neural injuries.

Conservative kidney management and kidney supportive care: core components of integrated care for people with kidney failure.

Integrated kidney care requires synergistic linkage between preventative care for people at risk for chronic kidney disease and health services providing care for people with kidney disease, ensuring holistic and coordinated care as people transition between acute and chronic kidney disease and the 3 modalities of kidney failure management: conservative kidney management, transplantation, and dialysis. People with kidney failure have many supportive care needs throughout their illness, regardless of treatment modality. Kidney supportive care is therefore a vital part of this integrated framework, but is nonexistent, poorly developed, and/or poorly integrated with kidney care in many settings, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To address this, the International Society of Nephrology has (i) coordinated the development of consensus definitions of conservative kidney management and kidney supportive care to promote international understanding and awareness of these active treatments; and (ii) identified key considerations for the development and expansion of conservative kidney management and kidney supportive care programs, especially in low resource settings, where access to kidney replacement therapy is restricted or not available. This article presents the definitions for conservative kidney management and kidney supportive care; describes their core components with some illustrative examples to highlight key points; and describes some of the additional considerations for delivering conservative kidney management and kidney supportive care in low resource settings.

Dysregulated coagulation system links to inflammation in diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a significant contributor to end-stage renal disease worldwide. Despite extensive research, the exact mechanisms responsible for its development remain incompletely understood. Notably, patients with diabetes and impaired kidney function exhibit a hypercoagulable state characterized by elevated levels of coagulation molecules in their plasma. Recent studies propose that coagulation molecules such as thrombin, fibrinogen, and platelets are interconnected with the complement system, giving rise to an inflammatory response that potentially accelerates the progression of DKD. Remarkably, investigations have shown that inhibiting the coagulation system may protect the kidneys in various animal models and clinical trials, suggesting that these systems could serve as promising therapeutic targets for DKD. This review aims to shed light on the underlying connections between coagulation and complement systems and their involvement in the advancement of DKD.

Impact of Angiopoietin-2 on Kidney Diseases.

Background: Angiopoietins (Ang) are essential angiogenic factors involved in angiogenesis, vascular maturation, and inflammation. The most studied angiopoietins, angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), behave antagonistically to each other in vivo to sustain vascular endothelium homeostasis. While Ang-1 typically acts as the endothelium-protective mediator, its context-dependent antagonist Ang-2 can promote endothelium permeability and vascular destabilization, hence contributing to a poor outcome in vascular diseases via endothelial injury, vascular dysfunction, and microinflammation. The pathogenesis of kidney diseases is associated with endothelial dysfunction and chronic inflammation in renal diseases. Summary: Several preclinical studies report overexpression of Ang-2 in renal tissues of certain kidney disease models; additionally, clinical studies show increased levels of circulating Ang-2 in the course of chronic kidney disease, implying that Ang-2 may serve as a useful biomarker in these patients. However, the exact mechanisms of Ang-2 action in renal diseases remain unclear. Key Messages: We summarized the recent findings on Ang-2 in kidney diseases, including preclinical studies and clinical studies, aiming to provide a systematic understanding of the role of Ang-2 in these diseases.

Integrated renal-palliative care in Germany - Results from a survey on end of life care in a non-profit provider.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care-related problems in end-stage renal patients are similar to those of cancer patients. While the literature on renal palliative care is growing, real-world data on practice patterns of an integrated palliative care approach (IPCA) in Germany are lacking. METHOD: An anonymous survey of end of life care (ELC; conservative treatment, dialysis withdrawal, decision making) was mailed to head physicians of adult renal centers (N = 198) including 13 structured questions and 1 open question for more detailed information on the current state of ELC. A free text analysis of the quality of established care and further requirements was provided. RESULTS: Responses were received from 122 centers (62%) with 14,197 dialysis and 159,652 renal outpatients. Of the 122 centers 86 provided detailed responses to the open question and 4 different thematic patterns could be identified: centers with successfully established ELC (N = 17, 20%, group 1), those where intensified training and education were required (N = 19, 22%, group 2), centers which required structural improvement to establish IPCA (N = 39, 45%, group 3) and those which did not require further supportive measures (N = 11, 13%, group 4). Physician's age, sex, years of working in renal medicine, center size, and proportion of dialysis withdrawal and conservative treatment were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Despite equal general conditions, only 20% reported successfully established IPCA. Two out of three centers requested specific measures to establish or improve palliative care. Implementation of IPCA is hampered by educational and structural constraints. These real-world data suggest that structural determinants and soft skills (e.g. team motivation, leadership) can influence ICPA.

[Consensus Paper "Palliative renal care"]. / Curriculum "Palliative nephrologische Betreuung".

Aspects of palliative medicine such as withholding and withdrawal of dialysis, initiating conservative therapy and cooperative end-of-life care have increasingly become part of standard renal care. The corresponding transfer of knowledge of palliative medicine principles has so far been lacking in training and further education. This consensus paper proposes structured curricular training for the kidney team based on principles of palliative care.

Sclerostin is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Sclerostin is a hormone contributing to the bone-vascular wall cross talk and has been implicated in cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We analyzed the relationship between sclerostin and mortality in renal transplant recipients. METHODS: 600 stable renal transplant recipients (367men, 233 women) were followed for all-cause mortality for 3 years. Blood and urine samples for analysis and clinical data were collected at study entry. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models considering confounding factors such as age, eGFR, cold ischemia time, HbA1c, phosphate, calcium, and albumin. Optimal cut-off values for the Cox regression model were calculated based on ROC analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients died during the observation period. Nonsurvivors (n = 65; sclerostin 57.31 ± 30.28 pmol/L) had higher plasma sclerostin levels than survivors (n = 535; sclerostin 47.52 ± 24.87 pmol/L) (p = 0.0036). Kaplan-Meier curve showed that baseline plasma sclerostin concentrations were associated with all-cause mortality in stable kidney transplant recipients (p = 0.0085, log-rank test). After multiple Cox regression analysis, plasma levels of sclerostin remained an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.011; 95% CI 1.002-1.020; p = 0.0137). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline plasma sclerostin is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in patients after kidney transplantation.

Descriptive Evaluation and Accuracy of a Mobile App to Assess Fall Risk in Seniors: Retrospective Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Fall-risk assessment is complex. Based on current scientific evidence, a multifactorial approach, including the analysis of physical performance, gait parameters, and both extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors, is highly recommended. A smartphone-based app was designed to assess the individual risk of falling with a score that combines multiple fall-risk factors into one comprehensive metric using the previously listed determinants. OBJECTIVE: This study provides a descriptive evaluation of the designed fall-risk score as well as an analysis of the app's discriminative ability based on real-world data. METHODS: Anonymous data from 242 seniors was analyzed retrospectively. Data was collected between June 2018 and May 2019 using the fall-risk assessment app. First, we provided a descriptive statistical analysis of the underlying dataset. Subsequently, multiple learning models (Logistic Regression, Gaussian Naive Bayes, Gradient Boosting, Support Vector Classification, and Random Forest Regression) were trained on the dataset to obtain optimal decision boundaries. The receiver operating curve with its corresponding area under the curve (AUC) and sensitivity were the primary performance metrics utilized to assess the fall-risk score's ability to discriminate fallers from nonfallers. For the sake of completeness, specificity, precision, and overall accuracy were also provided for each model. RESULTS: Out of 242 participants with a mean age of 84.6 years old (SD 6.7), 139 (57.4%) reported no previous falls (nonfaller), while 103 (42.5%) reported a previous fall (faller). The average fall risk was 29.5 points (SD 12.4). The performance metrics for the Logistic Regression Model were AUC=0.9, sensitivity=100%, specificity=52%, and accuracy=73%. The performance metrics for the Gaussian Naive Bayes Model were AUC=0.9, sensitivity=100%, specificity=52%, and accuracy=73%. The performance metrics for the Gradient Boosting Model were AUC=0.85, sensitivity=88%, specificity=62%, and accuracy=73%. The performance metrics for the Support Vector Classification Model were AUC=0.84, sensitivity=88%, specificity=67%, and accuracy=76%. The performance metrics for the Random Forest Model were AUC=0.84, sensitivity=88%, specificity=57%, and accuracy=70%. CONCLUSIONS: Descriptive statistics for the dataset were provided as comparison and reference values. The fall-risk score exhibited a high discriminative ability to distinguish fallers from nonfallers, irrespective of the learning model evaluated. The models had an average AUC of 0.86, an average sensitivity of 93%, and an average specificity of 58%. Average overall accuracy was 73%. Thus, the fall-risk app has the potential to support caretakers in easily conducting a valid fall-risk assessment. The fall-risk score's prospective accuracy will be further validated in a prospective trial.

Conservative Care, Dialysis Withdrawal, and Palliative Care: Results from a Survey of a Non-Profit Dialysis Provider in Germany.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, practice patterns of conservative renal care (CRC), dialysis withdrawal (DW), and concomitant palliative care in patients who choose these options are unknown. METHOD: A survey was designed including 13 structured and one open questions on the management and frequency of CRC and DW, local palliative care structure, and fundamentals of the decision-making process, and addressed to the head physicians of all renal centers (n = 193) of a non-profit renal care provider (KfH - Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation, Neu-Isenburg, Germany). RESULTS: Response rate was 62.2% (n = 122 centers) comprising 14,197 prevalent dialysis patients and 159,652 renal outpatients. Two-thirds of the respondents were men (85% in the age group between 45 and 64 years). Mean time of experience in renal medicine was 22.2 years in men, 20.8 years in women. 94% of all centers provided CRC with a different frequency and proportion of patients (mean 8.4% of the center population, median 5%, range 0-50%). Mean proportion of DW was 2.85% per year (median 2%, range 1-15%). Physicians and center features were not significantly associated with utilization of CRC or DW. Palliative care management varied including local palliative teams, support by general physicians, or by the renal team itself. Hospice care was only established in patients undergoing CRC. Fundamentals of the decision-making process were the desire of the patient (90% in CRC, 67% in DW). Patients undergoing CRC changed their opinion towards treatment modality "frequently" in 18% of the cases, "occasionally" in 73%. Physicians' decisions were mostly driven by presumed fatal prognosis and poor physical or mental conditions of the individual patient. Different barriers to provide palliative care for the renal population like lack of education in palliative medicine, shortness of staff, lack of financial resources, and local palliative care structures were reported. CONCLUSION: Compared to international numbers, in Germany, proportion of CRC and DW reported by non-profit renal centers is in the lower range. Center practice of palliative care management varies and is driven by availability of local palliative care resources and presumably by attitudes of the renal teams. Quality of palliative care and the decision-making process need further evaluation.

A survey demonstrates limited palliative care structures in paediatric nephrology from the perspective of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

AIM: Children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease face a high morbidity and mortality. Palliative care provides a multidisciplinary approach to reduce disease burden and improve quality of life. This study evaluated concepts and current structures of palliative care from the perspective of a multidisciplinary paediatric nephrology team including physicians, nurses and psychosocial health professionals. METHODS: Evaluation was done by an online survey sent to the members of the German Society of Nephrology and to the nurse managers of German paediatric dialysis centres between April 9, 2018 and May 31, 2018. RESULTS: Out of the 52 respondents, 54% were physicians, 21% nurses and 25% psychosocial health professionals. The quality of actual palliative care service was rated as moderate (3.3 on a scale from one to six). Specialised palliative care teams (54%) and the caring paediatric nephrologist (50%) were considered as primarily responsible for palliative care. Two thirds wished for training in palliative care. In only 15% of the respondents' centres, palliative care specialisation existed. CONCLUSION: Palliative care structures in paediatric nephrology were not sufficient in the view of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. Therefore, efforts should be taken to integrate palliative care into the routine treatment of children and adolescents with chronic kidney diseases.

Preventive Nephrology: The Role of Obesity in Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is increasing worldwide and has become a nontraditional risk factor in chronic kidney disease (CKD). SUMMARY: Obesity-related nephropathy may aggravate renal complications of the metabolic syndrome and progress to advanced CKD stages, while obesity in early stages of CKD is clearly related to the development of kidney disease. A high body mass index (BMI) in advanced CKD stages and dialysis is an advantage for survival (so called "obesity paradox"). A high lean body to fat mass index indicates a beneficial state of body composition. In contrast, loss of muscle mass with increasing fat mass causes "sarcopenia obesity," which is related to unfavorable outcomes in renal replacement therapy. Obesity (BMI > 30-35) in renal transplant recipients is associated with a higher risk of complications such as delayed graft function, increased rates of rejection, and graft loss. While conservative management of morbid obesity is failing in most cases, bariatric surgery seems to be an option in some cases to improve renal complications in the early stage of CKD or in transplant candidates. KEY MESSAGE: In conclusion, obesity is increasingly prevalent among CKD patients. Adequate management with respect to the specific role of obesity in different stages of CKD should be integrated in routine renal care.

Implementing Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis in Renal Care: a Chinese-German Perspective.

Assisted PD (assPD) is an option of home dialysis treatment for dependent end-stage renal patients and worldwide applied in different countries since more than 40 years. China and Germany shares similar trends in demographic development with a growing proportion of elderly referred to dialysis treatment. So far number of patients treated by assPD is low in both countries. We analyze experiences in the implementation process, barriers, and benefits of ass PD in the aging population to provide a model for sustainable home dialysis treatment with PD in both countries. Differences and similarities of different factors (industrial, patient and facility based) which affect utilization of assPD are discussed. AssPD should be promoted in China and Germany to realize the benefits of home dialysis for the aging population by providing a structured model of implementation and quality assurance.

Attitudes of nephrologists towards assisted home dialysis in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Assisted home dialysis (AHD) is an option to combine the benefits of home dialysis therapy with the needs of dialysis patients who are unable to perform self-treatment at home. While this method is growing in many countries worldwide, no data so far are reported for Germany. METHODS: A survey was designed to identify the barriers to the implementation of AHD with the focus on attitudes and beliefs concerning AHD. The survey was sent to all 2060 members of the Germany Society of Nephrology. RESULTS: The response rate was 14% of nephrologists (n = 286), representing 24% of all German centres. AHD was regarded as a highly meaningful option (>90% of all responding nephrologists). Fifty-five percent of the centres practice AHD (preferred peritoneal dialysis). The number of treated patients on AHD was small (77% of the centres treat no more than 10 patients). The nephrologists in centres that performed AHD were of older age and the number of dialysis patients treated in these centres was greater. AHD was offered in 57% of centres at chronic kidney disease Stage 4. Inadequate conventional dialysis and patient's request were reasons for choosing AHD. Barriers for offering AHD were lack of reimbursement, shortage of staff, lack of expertise and lack of team motivation. CONCLUSIONS: In the view of German nephrologists, AHD is a meaningful method to provide home dialysis care. Inadequate funding and a lack of qualified staff were identified as severe barriers to implementation of AHD. To overcome these barriers and to achieve a higher penetration of AHD, dedicated actions have to be considered. Further studies are needed to prove the AHD concept with regard to outcome effects and cost efficacy.

Attitudes of nephrologists towards intensified hemodialysis
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AIMS: Intensified hemodialysis (HD) programs have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of conventional HD. However, there are no data on the implementation of intensified HD programs into routine care. Therefore, we investigated the attitude of nephrologists towards intensified HD, its penetrance into clinical practice, and barriers to implementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed an online survey within the German Society of Nephrology on the beliefs and attitudes towards intensified HD. RESULTS: 44% of the respondents believe that there is sufficient evidence in favor of intensified HD independent of whether the respondent offers intensified HD or not. Before expanding intensified HD, adequate funding (81%) and more staff (60%) are needed. 44% of the respondents offer intensified HD to their patients. The offer of intensified HD is made to the patients mainly if the patient is not adequately treated with conventional HD (50%); only 19% offer it routinely to all patients with CKD stage 4, in preparation for renal replacement therapy. 33% of the respondents offer short daily HD, 70% nocturnal intermittent, and 4% daily nocturnal. In 30% of the respondent centers, intensified dialysis is performed at home. CONCLUSION: Nearly one-half of the respondents already offer intensified HD. Inappropriate funding of intensified HD programs represents the most important barrier for further implementation.
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Morbidity, mortality and quality of life in the ageing haemodialysis population: results from the ELDERLY study.

BACKGROUND: The physical-functional and social-emotional health as well as survival of the elderly (≥75 years of age) haemodialysis patient is commonly thought to be poor. In a prospective, multicentre, non-interventional, observational study, the morbidity, mortality and quality of life (QoL) in this patient group were examined and compared with a younger cohort. METHODS: In 92 German dialysis centres, 2507 prevalent patients 19-98 years of age on haemodialysis for a median of 19.2 months were included in a drug monitoring study of darbepoetin alfa. To examine outcome and QoL parameters, 24 months of follow-up data in the age cohorts <75 and ≥75 years were analysed. Treatment parameters, adverse and intercurrent events, hospitalizations, morbidity and mortality were assessed. QoL was evaluated by means of the 47-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Anaemia score (FACT-An, version 4). RESULTS: The 2-year mortality rate was 34.7% for the older cohort and 15.8% for the younger cohort. The mortality rate for the haemodialysed elderly patients was 6.2% higher in absolute value compared with the age-matched background population. A powerful predictor of survival was the baseline FACT-An score and a close correlation with the 20-item anaemia subscale (AnS) was demonstrated. While the social QoL in the elderly patients was more stable than in the younger cohort (leading to equivalent values at the end of the study period), a pronounced deterioration of physical and functional status was observed. The median number of all-cause hospital days per patient-year was 12.3 for the elderly cohort and 8.9 for the younger patient population. The overall 24-month hospitalization rate was only marginally higher in the elderly cohort (34.0 versus 33.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In this observational study, the mortality rate of elderly haemodialysis patients was not exceedingly high compared with the age-matched background population. Furthermore, the hospitalization rate was only slightly higher compared with the younger age group and the median yearly hospitalization time trended lower compared with registry data. The social well-being of elderly haemodialysis patients showed a less pronounced decline over time and was equal to the score of the younger cohort at the end of the study period. The physical and functional status in the elderly patients was lower and showed a sharper decline over time. The baseline FACT-An score correlated closely with the 24-month survival probability.

Comorbidities, Hospitalization, and Living Status of Dialysis Patients Over 80 Years.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients start dialysis when they are over 80 years or reaches their eighties on dialysis. The burden of dialysis can affect their quality of life. METHODS: Clinical and social data of all patients aged 80 years or older who underwent chronic dialysis treatment in a single center were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients aged between 80 and 92 years were in chronic dialysis treatment on December 31, 2015. Median time on dialysis was 57 months (3-330 months). Hospitalization rate and days in hospital were lower in this group than in younger patients (1.05 vs. 1.34 hospitalizations; 8.3 vs. 9.0 hospital days per patient and year) despite the presence of many comorbidities. The median patency of the currently used arteriovenous shunt was 70 months (6-194 months). Social status was comparable with the population of the rest of the same average age range. CONCLUSION: Dialysis patients aged ≥80 years have a satisfactory quality of life with no more complications than younger patients.

[Is acute renal failure in elderly patients crucial for all-cause mortality?]. / Das akute Nierenversagen bei älteren Patienten - entscheidend für die Gesamtmortalität?

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in the elderly is associated with high risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD), hospital- and all-cause mortality. Based on the decreased renal function in older age groups and age-specific co-morbidity as hypertension, cardiovascular complications, and diabetes mellitus, the risk for AKI is increased. In outpatients inadequate pharmacotherapy and self-medication contribute to increased risk of AKI while in hospital settings severe infection, cardiovascular interventions with contrast media and major surgery may result in higher rates of AKI. Every fourth case is on risk for recurrent AKI followed by advanced CKD and renal replacement therapy. In the oldest old with high co-morbidity condition indication of renal replacement in AKI should be processed by shared-decision making. In many cases palliative care in this setting may be appropriate.

Intensified hemodialysis in adults, and in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: There are now almost 70 000 dialysis patients in Germany. Conventional hemodialysis does not adequately compensate for malnutrition, arterial hypertension, renal osteopathy, and diminished performance ability. Various strategies for intensified hemodialysis have been implemented in an attempt to lower the considerable morbidity and mortality of end-stage renal failure. METHOD: We selectively review the literature on intensified dialysis in adults, children, and adolescents. RESULTS: In a randomized, controlled trial (RCT), a group of patients undergoing conventional dialysis was compared to a group undergoing brief, daily dialysis. Daily dialysis significantly improved the combined endpoint of left-ventricular hypertrophy or death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61). In contrast, another, retrospective study found daily dialysis to be associated with higher mortality (15.6 vs. 10.9 deaths, HR 1.6). A prospective case-control study found nocturnal intermittent hemodialysis to be associated with lower mortality than conventional dialysis (1.77 vs. 6.23 per 100 patient-years); this result was confirmed in a further, retrospective study. An RCT on nocturnal dialysis performed every night revealed a significant regression of left-ventricular mass, yet the patients' quality of life improved only in individual domains specifically related to renal function. Small-scale studies of intensified hemodialysis in children and adolescents have found that it leads to a higher growth rate and weight gain. CONCLUSION: Intensified hemodialysis techniques improve arterial blood pressure, uremia-associated variables, and psychosocial variables. They also lower the necessary doses of antihypertensive drugs and phosphate binders. Dietary restrictions need not be as stringent. Further prospective trials are needed for a reliable assessment of the effect of intensified hemodialysis on mortality and quality of life.

Hemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis: a case control study of survival in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5.

It is still controversial whether the mode of dialysis or preexisting comorbidities may influence the prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5. Therefore, we performed a prospective case control study to evaluate whether the mode of dialysis may influence outcome. We found 25 cases on peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment and 75 age and sex-matched controls on hemodialysis (HD) treatment for more than 3 months. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. During the follow up of 58 months, 6 out of 25 patients (24%) died in the PD group, whereas in the HD group 26 out of 75 patients (35%) died (relative risk 0.69 [95% CI 0.32 to 1.49]; P = 0.46). Survival was not significantly different between the groups as indicated by Mantel-Cox log-rank test (hazard ratio 0.52 [95% CI 0.25 to 1.10]; P = 0.11). Multiple variable regression showed that age and diabetes mellitus, but not mode of dialysis, predicted death in patients with chronic kidney disease. It is concluded that age and comorbidities but not mode of dialysis are important to predict survival in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5.

Mortality risk in hemodialysis patients with increased arterial stiffness is reduced by attainment of classical clinical performance measures.

BACKGROUND: We determined whether attainment of classical clinical performance measures for hemodialysis care improves survival in hemodialysis patients with increased arterial stiffness. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of 538 hemodialysis patients with a median follow-up of 19 months (interquartile range 8-30). Arterial stiffness was measured using applanation tonometry. Clinical performance measure targets were hemoglobin value >or=110 g/l, serum albumin value >or=37 g/l and measured single-pool Kt/V urea value >or=1.2. RESULTS: During follow-up, 217 patients (40%) died. In non-survivors, arterial stiffness of large arteries (S1) was significantly higher compared with survivors (p = 0.0002). An analysis of hemodialysis patients who were alive 18 months after inclusion into the study showed that survival was significantly longer in those patients that met >or=2 clinical performance measure targets compared with patients that met