Efficacy and safety of roxadustat in the treatment of renal anemia in calciphylaxis dialysis patients / 中华肾脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the efficacy and safety of roxadustat in the treatment of renal anemia in calciphylaxis dialysis patients who had poor response to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO).Methods:This study was a prospective cohort study. The dialysis patients who were diagnosed with calciphylaxis and had previous regular use of rHuEPO≥3 months with hemoglobin (Hb) levels<110 g/L in the Department of Nephrology of Zhong Da Hospital affiliated to Southeast University from January 1, 2019 to March 28, 2021 were recruited. The effect of oral roxadustat in calciphylaxis dialysis patients with renal anemia was analyzed by self-comparison method.Results:There were totally 18 calciphylaxis dialysis patients with renal anemia enrolled in the study and the age was (49.7±16.2) years old, including 11 males and 7 females, and 14 cases on hemodialysis and 4 cases on peritoneal dialysis. The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 27.3(15.6, 48.5) mg/L(reference value 0-3 mg/L) at baseline. The baseline Hb level was (85.4±11.6) g/L, and after 3 months of oral roxadustat, the Hb level was (105.8±15.2) g/L ( t=-9.282, P<0.001). The Hb compliance rate was 44.4%(8/18). Ferritin decreased significantly at 3 months compared with the baseline level [208.0(59.0, 306.3) μg/L vs 229.0(127.3, 385.2) μg/L, Z=-3.637, P<0.001]. The total iron binding capacity level increased significantly compared with the baseline level [127.0(65.0, 211.5) μmol/L vs 105.5(43.8, 153.7) μmol/L, Z=-2.156, P=0.031]. Transferrin saturation level at 3 months was lower than that at baseline, but there was no significant difference [20.2%(14.2%, 27.7%) vs 20.5%(18.7%, 34.9%), Z=-1.546, P=0.122]. No adverse reactions occurred during the observation period. Conclusion:The application of roxadustat can effectively correct Hb level and improve iron metabolism with high safety in calciphylaxis dialysis patients with renal anemia under inflammatory status.