About the Authors

Nobuo Nagano

Roles Conceptualization, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

n_nagano@hidaka-kai.com

Affiliations Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Hidaka Hospital, Hidaka-kai, Gunma, Japan, Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University Adachi Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan

Shin Tokunaga

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Medical Affairs Department, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Shinji Asada

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Medical Affairs Department, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

Masafumi Fukagawa

Roles Conceptualization, Supervision

†Deceased.

Affiliation Division of Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan

Tadao Akizawa

Roles Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Showa Medical University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Competing Interests

Nobuo Nagano received consultancies from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.; honoraria from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.; Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Toa Shinyaku Co., Ltd.; Nobelpharma Co., Ltd.; Torii Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.; and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Shin Tokunaga and Shinji Asada are employees of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. Masafumi Fukagawa received grants from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. to his institution; consulting fees and honoraria from Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.; Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.; Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd.; Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Tadao Akizawa received consulting fees from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.; Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.; honoraria from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.; Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.; support for travel fee from Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.