Shimizu Y, et al. - In this cross-sectional study, researchers studied the link between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), relative to circulating CD34-positive cell count in 570 elderly Japanese men aged 60-69 years, given that bone-derived progenitor cells (CD34-positive cells) are a factor in endothelial repair (including the progression of atherosclerosis). Based on a median circulating CD34-positive cell count (1.01 cells/μL), stratification of participants was done. Among those who exhibited high circulating CD34-positive cell counts, a positive link between CIMT and CKD was found. Such a link was not found among participants with low counts. The link between CKD and CIMT might be determined by endothelial repair activity.