When divided into quartiles based on Cr index, patients with a lower Cr index were older and showed a higher prevalence of female, shorter dialysis vintage, higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and history of cardiovascular diseases, lower body weight and BMI, higher prevalence of presence of residual kidney function (RKF), lower systolic blood pressure level, lower serum levels of albumin, Cr, urea nitrogen, calcium, phosphate, PTH, higher serum level of alkaline phosphatase, and lower prescription proportion of VDRAs, phosphate binders, and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is diabetes mellitus.