Kleine CE, et al. - In this study including veterans transitioning to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), researchers assessed the influence of pre-ESRD hemoglobin (Hgb) and pre-ESRD Hgb slope on post-ESRD mortality and hospitalization outcomes. They used Cox and negative binomial regression models. Using 4 levels of hierarchical multivariable adjustment, including erythropoietin use and kidney decline in slope models, they assessed the association of pre-ESRD Hgb and Hgb slope with 12-month post-ESRD all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization rates. Lower and higher pre-ESRD Hgb levels were found to be related to a higher risk of early post-ESRD mortality, while no link existed between the pre-ESRD slope and mortality. An increase in pre-ESRD Hgb slope was shown to be related to higher risk of post-ESRD hospitalization.