Fig. 1

Study CONSORT Diagram. The study patient population was derived from the database of a large health care provider in United States (US). The source population with chronic kidney disease (CKD) was derived by excluding patients who had estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) greater than 60 ml/min/1.73 m², were diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), had received renal transplants, had a recent hemoglobin (Hb) measure less than 8 g/dL, or had a diagnosis of cancer (with the exception of skin cancer). The remaining patients were then stratified into study cohorts based on recent Hb measurements and use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA)