A Real-World Analysis of Post-Marketing Surveillance Data Assessing the Incidence of Hyperkalemia or Acute Kidney Injury in Patients on Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Versus Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers

Abstract

Background: The widely used Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RASI) may increase the risk of hyperkalemia and acute kidney injury (AKI). We aimed to analyze the RASI-related AKI or hyperkalemia reported in the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to optimize patients’ treatment and provide a reference for a clinically safe and rational prescription. Methods: We obtained data in FAERS recorded from January 2004 to December 2020. Disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were used in data mining to screen the suspected AKI or hyperkalemia after RASI. The time to onset, hospitalization, and prognosis of RASI-associated AKI or hyperkalemia were also investigated. Results: We identified 11,301 RASI-related adverse events (AEs) of hyperkalemia and AKI in the FAERS database; 4997 were due to Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), 5658 were due to angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and 646 were due to the combination of ACEI and ARB. AKI was more commonly reported in patients with ARB (78.42%) than ACEI users (57.27%). Hyperkalemia cases were reported more in ACEI users (28.70%) than ARB users (14.14%). The median time to onset of RAS-associated AKI was 135.0 (17.0–620.0) days. RASI-associated hyperkalemia occurred relatively later in ACEI users, with a median onset time of 261.0 (43.0–1097.7) days, compared with that of 200.5 (52.0–636.0) days in ARB users (p < 0.001). Among all AEs, 72.39% of cases received hospitalization. Death occurred in 6.3% of the renal AE cases. The elderly and heart failure were potential risk factors for death in patients who developed RASI-associated renal AEs, with an increased Odds Ratio (OR) compared with younger age (OR = 1.32) and hypertension patients (OR = 2.55). Based on the criteria of the four algorithms, the ACEI and ARB combination further increased the incidence of AKI and hyperkalemia, demonstrating the highest Reporting Odds Ratios (RORs), Proportional Reporting Ratios (PRRs) and Empirical Bayesian Geometric Average (EBGMs). Conclusions: Patients who indicated RASI for heart failure demonstrated a higher death risk when AEs occurred. ACEI combined with ARB can increase the incidence of hyperkalemia and AKI. Careful and individualized management is necessary.