Use of Phosphorus Binders among Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients and Mortality Outcomes.

Background: Whether the benefits of phosphorus binders extend to those without end stage renal disease is uncertain. Among a large diverse non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) population with hyperphosphatemia, we sought to evaluate phosphorus binder use and compare mortality risk between patients prescribed and not prescribed binders.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study within an integrated health system (January 1, 1998 - December 31, 2012) among CKD patients (age ≥18) was performed.

Plasma renin activity and its association with ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease in a large hypertensive cohort.

Plasma renin activity (PRA) may be a surrogate for vascular damage. The authors hypothesize that PRA is associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CED). A cross-sectional study (January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2009) was performed on hypertensive individuals 18 years and older using multivariable logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for ischemic heart disease (IHD), congestive heart failure (CHF), and CED based on PRA quartiles controlling for age, sex, race, diabetes mellitus (DM), and medication use.