Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Author Spotlight: Implementation of BIVA for Analyzing Disease Risk Factors in Patients with Low Body Cell Mass
Published on: July 14, 2023
Hydroxychloroquine Use and Risk of CKD in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Chia-Lin Wu1, Chia-Chu Chang, Chew-Teng Kor
1Due to the number of contributing authors, the affiliations are provided in the Supplemental Material .
Background And Objectives:
Hydroxychloroquine is widely used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, large-scale studies examining the long-term effects of hydroxychloroquine on the development of kidney disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are lacking. We aimed to assess the long-term association of hydroxychloroquine use with the risk of developing CKD in this population.
Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements:
We conducted an observational cohort study for patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis who were enrolled prospectively in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2013. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression to analyze the association of hydroxychloroquine use with incident CKD.
Results:
A total of 2619 patients, including 1212 hydroxychloroquine users and 1407 hydroxychloroquine nonusers, were analyzed. Incident CKD was reported in 48 of 1212 hydroxychloroquine users and 121 of 1407 hydroxychloroquine nonusers. The incidence rate of CKD was lower in hydroxychloroquine users than in hydroxychloroquine nonusers (10.3 versus 13.8 per 1000 person-years). After multivariable adjustment, hydroxychloroquine users still had a lower risk of incident CKD (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.90; P=0.01) than hydroxychloroquine nonusers. The lower risk of subsequent CKD development was dose dependent and consistent across subgroup analyses.
Conclusions:
Hydroxychloroquine use in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a significantly lower risk of incident CKD compared with in nonusers.
Related Concept Videos
Relative Risk
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
Design Example: Analyzing Capacity Contours for Flood Risk Assessment
Patient-centered Care
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

