Efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of IgA nephropathy: a single-center retrospective analysis / 中华肾脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To access the clinical efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN).Methods:The data of IgAN patients who were diagnosed by renal biopsy in the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University from May 2016 to August 2020 and had been treated with HCQ for more than 6 months without other immunosuppressants were retrospectively analyzed. The efficacy and side effects were compared between groups according to the baseline urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) or whether combined with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi).Results:A total of 121 patients were enrolled, including 45 males (37.19%). At baseline, the median UPCR was 0.69(0.45, 1.00) g/g; the median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 93.46(73.14, 115.67) ml·min -1·(1.73 m 2) -1; the median serum creatinine was 80.00(61.00, 98.00) μmol/L, and the serum albumin was (44.39±3.36) g/L. After HCQ treatment, UPCR and red blood cells were significantly decreased compared with baseline (all P<0.05). Triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also significantly decreased during the follow-up period. Serum creatinine, eGFR, serum albumin and serum uric acid remained stable. After 6 months of follow-up, the total remission rate was 56.88%, including 15.60% of partial remission and 41.28% of complete remission; at the end of follow-up, the median follow-up time was 280.00(214.00, 411.00) days and the total remission rate was 56.20%, including 9.92% of partial remission and 46.28% of complete remission. Group analysis showed that the remission rate was 60.53% ( n=76) and 48.48% ( n=33) at 6 months (Mann-Whitney U test, Z=-2.331, P=0.020) and 57.65% ( n=85) and 52.78% ( n=36) at the end of follow-up (Mann-Whitney U test, Z=-1.673, P=0.094) between patients with baseline UPCR<1 g/g and patients with baseline UPCR≥1 g/g; and the remission rate was 66.67% ( n=30) and 53.16% ( n=79) at 6 months (Mann-Whitney U test, Z=1.062, P=0.288) and 61.29% ( n=31) and 54.44% ( n=90) at the end of follow-up (Mann-Whitney U test, Z=0.930, P=0.352) between patients with single HCQ and patients with HCQ+RAASi. For side effects, the eGFR of 2 patients decreased by more than 30% compared with baseline, 1 patient relapsed and 1 patient developed blurred vision. Conclusions:HCQ is safe and effective for the treatment of IgAN.