Hyperuricaemia, gout and allopurinol in the CKD Queensland registry

Projected Health and Economic Burden of Comorbid Gout and Chronic Kidney Disease in a Virtual US Population: A Microsimulation Study

INTRODUCTION

Gout, a common comorbidity of chronic kidney disease (CKD), is associated with high morbidity and healthcare utilization. However, a large proportion of gout remains undermanaged or untreated which may lead to worse patient outcomes and greater healthcare costs. This study estimates the present and future health and economic burden of controlled and uncontrolled gout in a virtual United States (US) CKD population.

METHODS

A validated microsimulation model was used to project the burden of gout in patients with CKD in the USA through 2035. Databases were utilized to build a virtual CKD population of "individuals" with controlled or uncontrolled gout. Modelling assumptions were made on the basis of the literature, which was sparse in some cases. Health and economic outcomes with the current care (baseline) scenario were evaluated, along with potential benefits of urate-lowering intervention scenarios.

RESULTS

The prevalence of comorbid gout and CKD in the USA was projected to increase by 29%, from 7.9 million in 2023 to 9.6 million in 2035 in the baseline scenario. Gout flares, tophi, and comorbidity development were also projected to increase markedly through 2035, with the economic burden of gout in the CKD population subsequently increasing from $38.9 billion in 2023 to $47.3 billion in 2035. An increased use of oral urate-lowering therapies in undermanaged patients, and pegloticase use in patients refractory to oral urate-lowering therapies were also project to result in 744,000 and 353,000 fewer uncontrolled gout cases, respectively, by 2035. Marked reductions in complications and costs ensued.

CONCLUSIONS

This study projected a substantial increase in comorbid gout and CKD. However, improved use of urate-lowering interventions could mitigate this growth and reduce the health and economic burdens of gout.

Effect of uric acid reduction on chronic kidney disease. Systematic review and meta-analysis

Accumulating evidence suggests that hyperuricemia is a pathological factor in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. However, the potential benefit afforded by the control of uric acid (UA) is controversial. Individual studies show discrepant results, and most existing meta-analysis, especially those including the larger number of studies, lack a placebo or control group as they aim to compare efficacy between drugs. On these grounds, we performed a me-ta-analysis restricted to studies including the action of any anti-gout therapies referenced to a control or placebo arm. This approach allows for a clearer association between UA reduction and renal effect. Of the twenty-nine papers included, most used allopurinol and febuxostat and, therefore, solid conclusions could only be obtained for these drugs. Both were very effective in reducing UA, but only allopurinol was able to significantly improve glomerular filtration rate (GFR), although not in a dose-dependent manner. These results raised doubts as to whether it is the hypouricemic effect of anti-gout drugs, or a pleiotropic effect, what provides protection of kidney function. Accordingly, in a correlation study that we next performed between UA reduction and GFR improvement, no association was found, which suggests that additional mechanisms may be involved. Of note, most trials show large inter-individual response variability, probably because they included patients with heterogeneous phenotypes and pathological characteristics, including different stages of CKD and comorbidities. This highlights the need to sub classify the effect of UA-lowering therapies according to the pathological scenario, in order to identify those CKD patients that may benefit most from them. Systematic Review Registration: CRD42022306646 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.

The Efficacy and Safety of Dotinurad on Uric Acid and Renal Function in Patients with Hyperuricemia and Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease: A Single Center, Retrospective Analysis

Objective

We investigated the efficacy and safety of dotinurad, a selective urate reabsorption inhibitor, in hyperuricemic patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) (stage G3-5).

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 34 patients (mean age, 68.6 ± 13.3 years; 17 men and 17 women) after 12 months of dotinurad treatment based on the changes in uric acid (UA) and the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) plus the annual change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Hyperuricemia (UA ≥6.0 mg/dL) and advanced CKD (mean eGFR: 32.0 ± 13.3 mL/min/1.73m2; stage G3, n=17; G4, n=13; G5, n=4) were present in all of the patients. The cases of 34 matched individuals with similar propensity scores (who were not taking dotinurad) were analyzed as a control group.

Results

UA values decreased significantly in the dotinurad group (7.1 ± 0.8 mg/dL to 5.9 ± 1.0 mg/dL, p<0.05) but those did not change in the control group. UPCR did not change in either group. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol also decreased significantly in the dotinurad group (98.8 ± 43.4 mg/dL to 82.9 ± 33.1 mg/dL, p<0.05). With the 12-month dotinurad treatment, the annual change in the patients' eGFR was significantly improved from -6.0 ± 12.9 mL/min/1.73 m2/year to -0.9 ± 4.6 mL/min/1.73 m2/year (p<0.05), but there was no change in the control group.

Conclusion

Dotinurad can decrease UA levels and might attenuate renal function decline in individuals with hyperuricemia and advanced CKD.