In a nutshell
This study looked at the use of piperazine ferulate (PF) in diabetic patients. It found that adding PF to angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) treatment helped to protect kidney function in patients with diabetes.
Some background
Diabetic kidney disease is a complication of diabetes. It can result in patients losing kidney function and requiring dialysis. The first sign of diabetic kidney disease is increased albumin (the main protein in the blood) in a patient's urine. Diabetic patients frequently have their urine tested for albumin to detect early signs of this disease. Early treatment is crucial. Patients are usually started on a blood pressure-lowering medication to help protect the kidneys. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are a type of medication used for this purpose.
Piperazine ferulate (PR) is a treatment that is often used in China to treat kidney diseases. It is not known if adding PR to the treatment of diabetic patients can help to protect their kidneys from damage.
Methods & findings
This study reviewed 14 previous studies which had investigated adding PR to prevent diabetic kidney disease. Overall, a total of 1,374 patients were included. All patients had diabetic kidney disease and were already taking an ARB.
Patients taking an ARB and PR had reduced amounts of albumin in their urine compared to patients taking an ARB alone. In patients taking an ARB and PR there was a reduction in urine albumin of 20.32 μg/min compared to the ARB-only group. The effect of PR was greatest in those patients with early diabetic kidney disease.
The bottom line
This study showed that adding PR to ARB treatment may help to protect against diabetic kidney disease, especially in patients with early disease.
The fine print
This study is based on the results of previous studies, some of which were not well designed. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Published By :
International urology and nephrology
Date :
Jun 30, 2021
