2.3. Intervention and Control Group
HD, non-diabetes
Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio by computer-generated block of four randomization and were stratified according to underlying diabetes mellitus (diabetes vs. non-diabetes). Patients in the treatment group received oral vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7, MK-7) 375 mcg/day once daily for 24 weeks. Patients were asked to take five tablets (75 mcg/tablet) at nighttime and apart from phosphate binder intake at least 3 h. The control group received standard treatment without vitamin K supplement. MK-7 was provided by Pharmanord SAE Phamaceuticals (Bangkok, Thailand). The dose of MK-7 was selected based on a previous study suggesting that vitamin K2 has dose dependent effects on uncarboxylated MGP in chronic HD patients at least up to level 360 mcg/day [