AGER and chronic kidney disease: Several chronic diseases that may affect clinical outcomes may also impact on sRAGE levels: for example, diabetes mellitus [23] and end stage renal disease [24] have been shown to have elevated levels of plasma RAGE, whereas subjects with coronary artery disease [25], rheumatoid arthritis [26], Alzheimer’s disease [27] and essential hypertension [28] have been shown to have decreased levels of plasma RAGE.