Evidence and findings
One hundred ninety-six hemodialysis patients with existing cardiovascular disease were randomized to vitamin E or placebo. Median follow-up was 519 days. [1]
The primary cardiovascular composite occurred in 15 of 97 vitamin E recipients and 33 of 99 placebo recipients. Myocardial infarction also favored vitamin E, but cardiovascular and total mortality did not significantly differ. [1]
Interpretation and limits
This secondary-prevention population is different from people with healthy kidneys or earlier kidney disease. The study was not a kidney-recovery trial. Funding and conflicts were not established from the abstract, and its results should not be converted into a universal high-dose supplementation recommendation. [1]
A hypothetical distinction
Imagine a study enrolls people receiving dialysis but measures heart events. Their kidney diagnosis describes the population; it does not change the measured endpoint.
| Detail | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Dialysis | Population characteristic |
| Cardiovascular composite | Primary endpoint |
| Kidney recovery | Not tested |
Sources for this article
- Secondary prevention with antioxidants of cardiovascular disease in endstage renal disease (SPACE): randomised placebo-controlled trial - PubMed
Source consulted: 2026-09-19. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.