Table 1 Baseline characteristics by distance from residence postal code and nearest dialysis facility (% or mean ± SD)

N

27.2(7192)

35.1(9287)

37.7(9970)

CVC*

79.7 (5659)a

78.1(7251)a

82.3(8202)b

AVF/AVG**

21.3(1533)a

21.9(2036)a

17.7(1768)b

Age p < 0.001

67.5(14.9)

66.2(15.3)

64.8(15.0)

Sex (% female)

41.9(3012)a

40.3(3740)b

40.4(4027)a,b

Race

  Caucasian

69.7(5014)a

68.1(6324)a

78.0(7780)b

  Aboriginal

4.9(349)a

1.8(170)b

11.4(1139)c

  East Asian

7.4(534)a

9.1(842)b

1.8(182)c

  South Asian

9.9(710)a

11.9(1101)b

6.5(649)c

  Black

4.0(297)a

4.8(448)b

1.1(108)c

  Other

4.0(288)a

4.3(402)a

1.1(112)b

BMI p < 0.0001

27.4(7.0)

27.7(7.1)

28.1(7.1)

Geographic location

  Atlantic

21.8(609)a

22.3(622)b

55.9(1560)c

  Central

29.1(4196)a

38.3(5462)a

32.6(4647)b

  Prairie

24.9(1495)a

32.6(1955)a

42.5(2550)b

  Pacific

27.7(942)ab

36.7(1248)b

35.6(1213)a

Co-morbidities

  Angina

22.4(1613)a

21.7(2015)a

21.9(2180)a

  Acute coronary syndrome

21.6(1555)a

21.0(1954)a

22.2(2209)a

  Pulmonary edema

27.0(1940)a

24.7(2298)b

27.5(2738)b

  Diabetes mellitus

48.7(3500)a

46.3(4299)b

48.1(4792)a

  Stroke

15.1(1087)a

13.5(1253)b

14.3(1421)b

  Peripheral vascular disease

19.2(1380)a

17.5(986)b

12.4(1238)b

  Malignancy

11.5(828)b

10.6(1149)a

12.7(1264)a

  Lung disease

12.1(924)a

10.9(1180)b

12.9(1178)a

  Hypertension

83.1(5977)a

82.5(7665)a,b

82.3(8207)b

  Serious Illness

11.2(809)a

11.1(1034)a

10.4(1036)a

  Current smoker

13.3(959)a

11.0(1017)b

15.6(1557)c

  CABG

13.3(954)a

13.8(1282)a

13.6(1355)a

Cause of ESRD:

  Hypertension

23.9(1718)a

22.9(2476)a

21(1918)b

  Diabetes mellitus

39.0(2807)a

36.1(3909)b

38.4(3514)a

  Glomerulonephritis

12.6(906)a

14.9(1611)b

14.8(1355)b

  Obstruction

3.0(213)a

3.8(409)b

3.9(354)b

  Interstitial disease

0.9 (63)a

1.0 (91)a

1.1(107)a

  Polycystic kidney disease

3.0(216)a

3.9(364)a

4.1(404)a

  Other

7.0(504)a

7.7(713)a,b

8.1(808)b

  Unknown

10.6(765)a

9.7(905)a

8.9(883)b

Albumin g/L (mean ± SD) p < 0.0001

32.3(11.9)

32.0(7.7)

31.4(8.8)

Hemoglobin g/L (mean ± SD) p = 0.02

101.1(20.5)

100.8(18.4)

99.9(33.3)

Any pre-dialysis care (>90 days)

58.9(4233)a

57.3(5318)b

55.7(5553)c

Pre-HD care < 1 year+

27.9(1652)a

34.8(2057)a

37.3(2203)a

Pre-HD care 1–3 years+

28.0(1561)a

35.6(1984)a

36.3(2023)a

Pre-HD care > 3 years+

28.1(1471)a

35.4(1853)a

36.5(1910)a