Plasma cell-free DNA measured prior to renal replacement therapy initiation is not associated with incident adverse outcomes, hospitalizations or malignancies in chronic kidney disease stage 4–5 patients

07 Jul 20265 min read0 viewsJournal Feed

GIST (Key Takeaways)

by Niilo Liuhto, Jenni Tuominen, Noora Manni, Markus Hakamäki, Roosa Lankinen, Tomi Toukola, Jonna Virtanen, Kaj Metsärinne, Mikko J. Järvisalo, Tapio Hellman Inflammation is an inherent feature of advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated with adverse outcomes.
Several inflammatory biomarkers have been shown to be associated with mortality in CKD. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a novel biomarker for inflammation which has not been previously examined in patients with CKD stage 4–5 not undergoing dialysis.
cfDNA was extracted from plasma and quantified with Qubit Flex Fluorometer using dsDNA High Sensitivity kit in 138 patients with CKD stage 4–5 not undergoing dialysis at baseline and at a control time point of median 2.7 years of follow-up. A ratio of control and baseline measurement adjusted for an increment of one year of follow-up was calculated.
Associations between cfDNA at baseline and all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE, defined as a composite outcome of acute myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and cardiovascular death), emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations or incident malignancies were assessed.

Clinical Editorial

PLOS ONE (Medicine) published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 07 Jul 2026.

The item focuses on Plasma cell-free DNA measured prior to renal replacement therapy initiation is not associated with incident adverse outcomes, hospitalizations or malignancies in chronic kidney disease stage 4–5 patients.

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