Relationship Between Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Chronic Kidney Disease Progression, Cardiovascular Disease Events, and Mortality in Chinese Adults

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature mortality compared to the general population. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether the excess risk of CVD events and death among patients with CKD could be reduced or eliminated through strict control of blood pressure (systolic blood pressure: <130 mm Hg), lipids (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: <2.6 mmol/L), and glucose (fasting blood glucose: <6.1 mmol/L). Methods: The authors included 20,254 patients with CKD who were free of CVD or end-stage renal disease and matched them with 35,236 control individuals based on age (±2 years) and sex from the Kailuan study. Results: During a median follow-up period of 12.2 to 12.8 years, 3,875 deaths, 1,888 cases of stroke, 513 cases of myocardial infarction, and 4,825 cases of CKD progression were documented. Among patients with CKD, risk factor controls showed an association with a reduction in myocardial infarction, stroke, CKD progression, and all-cause mortality risk in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compared to the non-CKD control individuals, having all 3 risk factors within the target ranges could theoretically eliminate the excess risk of CVD and mortality associated with CKD. Among patients with CKD who had all 3 risk factors controlled, the HRs were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.56-1.14) for myocardial infarction, 0.93 (95% CI: 0.78-1.12) for stroke, and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.98-1.24) for all-cause mortality compared to the non-CKD control individuals. Conclusions: Patients with CKD who had controlled blood pressure, lipids, and glucose showed no excess risk of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke compared to the general population.