Resistance to Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents Is Associated with Arterial Microcalcification in Early Hemodialysis Patients

Table 2

Comparison of laboratory parameters according to arterial microcalcification.

Laboratory parameters	All patients (𝑛=82); number (%)	AMiC-negative (𝑛=49); number (%)	AMiC-positive (𝑛=33); number (%)	𝑃
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	9.8±0.7	9.9±0.8	9.8±0.6	0.403
WBC count (/mm^3)	6,869±1,844	7,011±2,010	6,660±1,571	0.402
Neutrophil count (/mm^3)	4,533±1,581	4,626±1,751	4,396±1,302	0.523
Iron (ug/dL)	68.8±27.8	71.2±28.9	65.4±26.1	0.357
Ferritin (ng/mL)^1	339.5±309.7	347.1±286.7	328.1±345.3	0.787
TIBC (ug/dL)	208.6±53.3	212.3±54.1	203.0±52.7	0.444
TSAT (%)^1	33.4±12.1	33.8±12.1	32.8±12.2	0.715
Albumin (g/dL)	3.5±0.5	3.6±0.6	3.3±0.5	0.035
CRP (mg/dL)^1	0.85±1.53	0.78±1.31	0.95±1.81	0.637
T. cholesterol (mg/dL)^1	161.8±45.6	171.6±46.6	147.2±40.5	0.017
Triglyceride (mg/dL)^1	165.4±164.9	174.8±201.3	151.6±87.7	0.535
Calcium (mg/dL)^1	8.3±1.0	8.1±0.8	8.0±0.7	0.354
Phosphate (mg/dL)	4.6±1.0	4.5±0.8	4.7±1.2	0.532
CaxP product	38.3±9.6	38.0±7.7	38.8±11.9	0.738
ALP (U/L)^1	232.8±113.8	244.4±128.6	216.1±86.9	0.241
nPCR (g/kg/d)	0.771±0.283	0.767±0.305	0.776±0.258	0.890
iPTH (pg/mL)^1	203.3±153.6	242.8±167.8	145.9±108.9	0.005
EHRI^1	14.3±13.3	12.0±13.9	17.7±11.8	0.049

AMiC: arterial microcalcification; WBC: white blood cell; TIBC: total iron-binding capacity; TSAT: transferrin saturation; CRP: C-reactive protein; T. cholesterol: total cholesterol; CaxP product: calcium-phosphorus product; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; nPCR: normalized protein catabolic rate; iPTH: intact parathyroid hormone; EHRI: ESA hyporesponsiveness index.
1These parameters were compared using Mann-Whitney 𝑈 test and the other parameters were compared using Student’s 𝑡-test.