Risk factors for progression in patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease in the Japanese population.

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important worldwide health problem. The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing steadily around the world, however few studies have discussed the risk factors for progression in patients with early-stage CKD. Therefore, we designed a retrospective cohort study of patients with early-stage CKD to identify the risk factors influencing the annualized slope of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).