Linear regression analysis confirmed that not only age, sex, baseline GFR levels and hypertension, but also homocysteine and NT-proBNP levels had independently predictive abilities to rapid decline of renal function (hypertension: 0.029; NT-proBNP: p = 0.027; others: p < 0.001 for all; Table 3). The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is Hypertension.