APOE and atherosclerosis: Similarly, mouse models of hyperlipidemia-induced full-blown atherosclerosis (e.g., ApoE-/- or LDLR-/- mice on a high-fat diet) were not used here, since the lipid profiles in these animals is expected to be different from late-stage CKD patients, who in addition often develop atherosclerosis without hyperlipidemia, as opposed to the general population and in line with the lack of statin protection in these patients.