Association Between Serum High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease: Results From the KNOW-CKD

Background High‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) levels are generally decreased in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, studies on the relationship between HDL‐C and CKD progression are scarce. Methods and Results We studied the association between serum HDL‐C levels and the risk of CKD progression in 2168 participants of the KNOW‐CKD (Korean Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease). The primary outcome was the composite of a 50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline or end‐stage renal disease. The secondary outcome was the onset of end‐stage renal disease. During a median follow‐up of 3.1 (interquartile range, 1.6–4.5) years, the primary outcome occurred in 335 patients (15.5%). In a fully adjusted Cox model, the lowest category with HDL‐C of <30 mg/dL (hazard ratio, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.30–3.77) and the highest category with HDL‐C of ≥60 mg/dL (hazard ratio, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.35–3.10) were associated with a significantly higher risk of the...