Use of phosphate-binding agents is associated with a lower risk of mortality

Kidney Int. 2013 Nov;84(5):998-1008. doi: 10.1038/ki.2013.185. Epub 2013 Jul 3.

Abstract

Hyperphosphatemia has been associated with higher mortality risk in CKD 5 patients receiving dialysis. Here, we determined the association between the use of single and combined phosphate-binding agents and survival in 6797 patients of the COSMOS study: a 3-year follow-up, multicenter, open-cohort, observational prospective study carried out in 227 dialysis centers from 20 European countries. Patient phosphate-binding agent prescriptions (time-varying) and the case-mix-adjusted facility percentage of phosphate-binding agent prescriptions (instrumental variable) were used as predictors of the relative all-cause and cardiovascular mortality using Cox proportional hazard regression models. Three different multivariate models that included up to 24 variables were used for adjustments. After multivariate analysis, patients prescribed phosphate-binding agents showed a 29 and 22% lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk, respectively. The survival advantage of phosphate-binding agent prescription remained statistically significant after propensity score matching analysis. A decrease of 8% in the relative risk of mortality was found for every 10% increase in the case-mix-adjusted facility prescription of phosphate-binding agents. All single and combined therapies with phosphate-binding agents, except aluminum salts, showed a beneficial association with survival. The findings made in the present association study need to be confirmed by randomized controlled trials to prove the observed beneficial effect of phosphate-binding agents on mortality.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / diagnosis
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Chelating Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperphosphatemia / blood
  • Hyperphosphatemia / diagnosis
  • Hyperphosphatemia / drug therapy*
  • Hyperphosphatemia / mortality
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Phosphates / blood*
  • Propensity Score
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Renal Dialysis* / adverse effects
  • Renal Dialysis* / mortality
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / blood
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / diagnosis
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / mortality
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / therapy*
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Chelating Agents
  • Phosphates