4.1. Patients

The ethics committee of the General Hospital Vienna approved this study according to the declaration of Helsinki (EK 980/2011). Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Subjects with infection and intercurrent illness were excluded from this study.

In a recent publication, the effect of HDL on PMNL apoptosis, CD11b surface expression, oxidative burst and chemotaxis was assessed [12]. HDL samples from the same pool of patients and probands were used in this study (see Supplementary Tables S1 and S2; Both tables were taken from reference [12]). The pooled data of HDL from stage 3 and stage 4 CKD patients are presented because they did not differ in the effects assessed in this study. HD patients were dialyzed on standard bicarbonate basis for 4 to 5 h three times a week with biocompatible polysulfone HD membranes (Fresenius, Bad Homburg, Germany). The Kt/V values of the patients were 1.2. All HD patients were without residual renal function.