Is Renoprotection Real for Patients with Hyperuricemia?

Abstract

Number of patients with progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing all over the world. One of the risk factors for CKD development and progression is increased serum uric acid (sUA) level. Possibly, control of hyperurcemia with urate lowering therapy drugs can slow the decline in kidney function. The objective: to determine efficacy and safety of allopurinol and febuxostat in treatment of patients with CKD and hyperurcemia to reduce the sUA level and analyze its influence on glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Materials and methods. The study included 45 CKD patients (stages 3b-5) without other severe/decompensated diseases and contraindications to the allopurinol/febuxostat. All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination, and were divided into the study groups: Group I (28 patients, 61.3±3.2 y.o., CKD3b-12, CKD4-10, on hemodialysis-6 patients) received febuxostat, Group II (24 patients, 60.7Ѓ}4.1 y.o., CKD3b-9, CKD4-10, on hemodialysis – 5 patients) took allopurinol. Results. Achievement of the target level of sUA was significantly often registered in Group I: after 1 month – in 45.5% (in group II – in 15.9%, p<0.001); after 3 months – in 67.5% (in group II – 21.2% p<0.01); after 6 months, these figures were 90% and 37.1%, respectively (p<0.01). sUA level <300 μmol/l was accompanied by significant positive GFR changes in group I patients; in group II there was a gradual progression of GFR deterioration in 31.8% of patients. Conclusions. In patients with pre-dialysis stages of CKD febuxostat demonstrates renoprotective abilities. Use of febuxostat in patients with CKD stage 3b-4 and in patients on hemodialysis is safe and more effective for target sUA level achievement than the use of allopurinol.