Using a multivariate Cox model, the mortality rate among patients in the MPD group remained significantly lower than the rate among patients in the NPD group (HR, 0.42; range, 0.2–0.87; p = 0.01) or the SPD group (HR, 0.36; range, 0.18–0.73; p = 0.004), after adjustment for age, dialysis vintage, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cardiac disease, serum albumin, central venous catheter and warfarin use. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is diabetes mellitus.