The blood levels of uric acid and C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) significantly decreased in patients treated with allopurinol. In the control group, kidney function declined after two years, but in the allopurinol-treated group, kidney function improved. Allopurinol treatment slowed down kidney disease progression regardless of patients' age, gender, and diabetes status; their blood levels of uric acid and C-reactive protein; the amount of protein patients lost in the urine; and the other types of medications patients used. In addition, compared with usual therapy, allopurinol treatment reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 71% and the risk of hospitalizations by 62%.

While allopurinol has significant potential benefits for CKD patients, "these results have to be confirmed in larger prospective trials and are the basis for a hypothesis that still needs to be tested," the authors wrote.

SOURCE American Society of Nephrology (ASN)