Although patients with CKD often have traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis, many CKD-specific risk factors are also implicated in CKD-accelerated atherosclerosis, including oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, uremic toxins, anemia, heart failure, bone mineral disease, and an altered renin–angiotensin system (5, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). This evidence concerns the gene REN and atherosclerosis.