Comparative assessment of the effects of dotinurad and febuxostat on the renal function in chronic kidney disease patients with hyperuricemia

Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 15;15(1):8990. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-94020-2.

Abstract

Although hyperuricemia is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the impact of uric acid (UA)-lowering drugs on CKD has been controversial. Previous investigations have primarily included xanthine oxidase inhibitors; therefore, research of dotinurad, a recently developed selective urate reabsorption inhibitor, is necessary. This retrospective study included 58 patients with CKD; of these, 29 newly initiated dotinurad and 29 initiated febuxostat. The effects of dotinurad and febuxostat on the serum UA, urinary UA-to-creatinine ratio (UUCR), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during 3 months were analyzed to compare their impacts on renal function. Dotinurad and febuxostat decreased serum UA (8.40 ± 1.11 to 6.50 ± 0.80 mg/dL [p < 0.001] and 8.91 ± 1.21 to 6.05 ± 1.28 mg/dL [p = < 0.001], respectively). The UUCR increased after dotinurad (0.35 ± 0.15 to 0.40 ± 0.21 g/gCr [p = 0.024]); however, it decreased after febuxostat (0.33 ± 0.12 to 0.21 ± 0.06 g/gCr [p = 0.002]). The eGFR improved after dotinurad (33.9 ± 15.2 to 36.2 ± 15.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 [p < 0.001]). No change was observed after febuxostat treatment (33.4 ± 19.6 to 34.1 ± 21.6 mL/min/1.73 m2). Renal function improved only with dotinurad, thus highlighting its renoprotective effects beyond the reduction of serum UA.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; Dotinurad; Hyperuricemia; Selective urate reabsorption inhibitor; Urate transporter-1; Urinary uric acid.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Creatinine / urine
  • Febuxostat* / pharmacology
  • Febuxostat* / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hyperuricemia* / blood
  • Hyperuricemia* / complications
  • Hyperuricemia* / drug therapy
  • Kidney* / drug effects
  • Kidney* / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / blood
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / complications
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / drug therapy
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / physiopathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Triazoles* / pharmacology
  • Triazoles* / therapeutic use
  • Uric Acid / blood
  • Uric Acid / urine

Substances

  • Febuxostat
  • Uric Acid
  • dotinurad
  • Triazoles
  • Creatinine
  • Benzothiazoles