We found that in CKD patients who survived their first 90 days of dialysis, predialysis management with ESAs for those who attained a Hb level of ≥ 9.0 g/dL before hemodialysis initiation and maintained it after hemodialysis initiation was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared with Hb increases that occurred, while receiving ESA treatment, only after hemodialysis was initiated. Here, GSTM1 is linked to chronic kidney disease.