Allopurinol Tablets & Kidney Disease

Gout related research from Y P Siu and colleagues, Use of allopurinol in slowing the progression of renal disease through its ability to lower serum uric acid level, investigates the use of allopurinol in patients with high uric acid levels and impaired kidney function.

They recognized that high uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) is associated strongly with the development of high blood pressure and kidney disease. As allopurinol decreases serum uric acid levels, they hypothesized that administrating allopurinol to decrease serum uric acid levels to the normal range in hyperuricemic patients with chronic kidney disease may be of benefit in decreasing blood pressure and slowing the rate of kidney disease progression.

They conducted a randomized controlled trial with 54 patients with high uric acid levels and chronic kidney disease. Half were treated with allopurinol tablets (100mg to 300mg per day), and half continued with normal treatment.

When patients were assessed after 12 months, 46% of normal patients had significant kidney deterioration or started dialysis, compared to only 16% of those treated with allopurinol.

The authors conclude:

Allopurinol therapy significantly decreases serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease. Its use is safe and helps preserve kidney function during 12 months of therapy compared with controls. Results of this study need to be confirmed with an additional prospective trial involving a larger cohort of patients to determine the long-term efficacy of allopurinol therapy and in specific chronic kidney disease subpopulations.

I'd appreciate your opinions on this. Why not discuss allopurinol tablets for kidney disease in the gout forum?