Clinical characteristics of patients.

Mean±SD [25., 50. und 75. percentile in case of non-normal distribution] or number (%).apbpcpdp*Coronary artery disease (CAD): myocardial infarction, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, aortocoronary bypass.**Cardiovascular disease (CVD): myocardial infarction, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, aortocoronary bypass, angiographically-proven coronary stenosis ≥50%, ischemic cerebral infarction, transient ischemic attack.***Peripheral arterial disease (PAD): significant ultrasound- or angiographically-proven vascular stenosis, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, peripheral bypass, amputation.‡Follow-up time was calculated as the time from the start of dialysis until the patient died or the end of the observation period was reached.