Fenofibrate Delays the Need for Dialysis and Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Among Patients With Advanced CKD.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT Fenofibrate provides limited cardiovascular (CV) benefits in the general population; however, little is known about its benefit among advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. OBJECTIVE: This study compared outcomes among advanced CKD patients treated with fenofibrate, statins, a combination of both, and none of these. METHODS: This national cohort study was based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients younger than 20 years with advanced CKD were identified and further divided into 4 groups according to treatment. The inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance baseline characteristics. Patients received fenofibrate, statins, a combination of fenofibrate and statins, or none of these in the 3 months preceding the advanced CKD date. Main outcome measures included all-cause mortality, CV death, and incidence of permanent dialysis. RESULTS: The fenofibrate and statin groups exhibited a lower risk of CV death (fenofibrate vs nonuser hazard ratio [HR] 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.94; statins vs nonuser HR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90-0.97) compared with the nonuser group. The fenofibrate group further exhibited the lowest incidence of permanent dialysis (fenofibrate vs nonuser subdistribution HR [SHR] 0.78; 95% CI, 0.77-0.80; statins vs fenofibrate SHR 1.27; 95% CI, 1.26-1.29; combination vs fenofibrate SHR 1.15; 95% CI, 1.13-1.17). Furthermore, the combined administration of fenofibrate and high-intensity statins exhibited a lower risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. CONCLUSION: For patients with advanced CKD, continuing fenofibrate may provide a protective effect on CV outcomes equal to that of statins, and it may further delay the need for permanent dialysis. The combination of fenofibrate and high-intensity statins may have additional benefits.