Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that there were no significant associations between the occurrence of a decreased blood flow rate and the clinical characteristics of the patient (serum albumin level, hemoglobin, activated coagulation time, sepsis or severe infectious diseases, heart failure, CVVHDF, and catheter position) when adjusted for general confounding factors, such as age, gender, height, and SOFA score (Table 4). This evidence concerns the gene ALB and infectious disease.