These preliminary results should trigger further analysis of myostatin prodomain serum levels as well as research of the pathophysiological importance of myostatin in this and other patient groups (for example patients with HIV, end stage renal disease or other forms of cancer); in addition, the possibility of therapeutic myostatin blockade should be considered under circumstances of elevated myostatin abundance in the future. The gene discussed is MSTN; the disease is stage 5 chronic kidney disease.