WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

The present study compared the efficacy and safety of low-dose febuxostat versus allopurinol in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients complicated with hyperuricemia (HUA).

METHODS

In this double-centre, randomized, controlled study, 120 CKD patients complicated with HUA were recruited and randomly assigned to low-dose febuxostat group (20 mg/day) or allopurinol group (200 mg/day) at 1:1 ratio. The serum creatinine (Scr), serum uric acid (SUA), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured at baseline (M0), month (M) 1, M3, and M6. Besides, the drug-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients showing a > 10% decline in eGFR from M0 to M6.

RESULTS

The eGFR level was increased at M6, but similar at M0, M1 and M3 in febuxostat group compared with allopurinol group. Notably, the proportion of patients with >10% decline in eGFR from M0 to M6 was decreased in febuxostat group compared with allopurinol group. However, there was no difference of Scr, SUA at M0, M1, M3 and M6 between febuxostat group and allopurinol group. Moreover, there was no difference of drug-related AEs between febuxostat group and allopurinol group. Further subgroup analysis exhibited that low-dose febuxostat presented superior effect on attenuating eGFR decline and lowering SUA level compared with allopurinol in CKD stage 3 subgroup, but not in CKD stage 2 subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose febuxostat may exhibit a superior renal-protective effect, non-inferior SUA lowering ability and safety profile compared with allopurinol in CKD patients complicated with HUA.