Table 3 Significant associations between baseline clinical variables and biomarkers and change in short-term and long-term HRQOL scores, using univariate and multivariate analysis

SF-36 Vitality

Change at 24 wks

 High Hb Group

Low Hb Group

5.09

1.16 to 9.03*

5.11

1.07 to 9.14*

 Platelet Count

≤ 260 × 10⁹/L

-5.00

-9.63 to -0.38*

-4.99

-9.58 to -0.40*

Change at 48 wks

 Urea reduction ratio

≤ 60%

-6.97

-12.22 to -1.72**

-7.06

-12.35 to 1.77**

 Serum calcium

≤ 2.42 mmol/L

5.34

0.94 to 9.73*

6.18

1.62 to 10.74**

 Platelet count

≤ 260 × 10⁹/L

-5.93

-10.67 to -1.18*

-5.01

-9.84 to -0.18*

 Epo dose

≤ 6000 U/wk

5.25

1.07 to 9.43*

5.73

1.53 to 9.93**

Change at 96 wks

 Fractional shortening

Per 1%

-0.32

-0.62 to -0.02*

 Troponin T

≤ 0.051 ng/ml

-7.55

-14.18 to -0.91*

-7.09

-13.73 to -0.46*

SF-36 Physical functioning

Change at 24 wks

 Left Ventricular Mass Index

Per 1 g/m²

-0.06

-0.12 to -0.00*

 Serum Calcium

≤ 2.42 mmol/L

4.25

0.02 to 8.47*

 Platelet Count

≤ 260 × 10⁹/L

-5.54

-9.95 to -1/13

-5.93

-10.37 to -1.50**

Change at 48 wks

 Serum Calcium

≤ 2.42 mmol/L

6.63

1.61 to 11.66**

6.00

0.39 to 11.62*

 Troponin T

≤ 0.051 ng/ml

-6.40

-12.62 to -0.18*

-6.70

-12.93 to -0.47*

Change at 96 wks

 Diabetes

No Diabetes

-7.28

-14.07 to -0.49*

-8.84

-16.61 to -1.07*

 Troponin T

≤ 0.051 ng/ml

-9.43

-16.44 to -2.42**

FACIT Fatigue

Change at 24 wks

 Lactase dehydrogenase

Per 1 U/L

-0.05

-0.09 to -0.00*

 White blood cells

≤ 8.1 × 10⁹/L

-4.32

-8.19 to -0.46*

 Troponin T

≤ 0.051 ng/ml

-5.38

-9.37 to -1.38**

-4.91

-9.09 to -0.74*

Change at 48 wks

 Serum creatinine

Per 1 umol/L

0.01

0.00 to 0.02**

0.01

0.00 to 0.02*

 Platelet Count

≤ 260 × 10⁹/L

-5.06

-9.20 to -0.93*

-4.78

-8.92 to -0.63*

Change at 96 wks

 Epo Dose

≤ 6000 U/wk

-5.11

-9.92 to -0.31*