Therapeutic Effect of Roxadustat on Patients With Posttransplant Anemia

Roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, has been reported to be effective in treating conservative renal failure and renal anemia in patients undergoing dialysis. Nonetheless, its effect on posttransplant anemia (PTA) has not yet been analyzed.

This study was conducted in accordance with the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2013. Roxadustat was administered in 31 patients with a hemoglobin level ≤11 g/dL after renal transplant. The mean hemoglobin, serum iron, ferritin, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and the estimated glomerular filtration rate at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks after administration were compared with those before administration.

The average (standard deviation) hemoglobin level in 25 patients (6 patients dropped out) increased from 9.8 (0.78) g/dL before administration to 12.1 (1.44) g/dL (P < .001) after 12 weeks of roxadustat administration. The mean ferritin level in patients decreased from 107.6 (84.95) ng/mL before administration to 51.7 (44.04) ng/mL (P = .022) after 8 weeks of roxadustat administration. The mean LDL cholesterol level decreased from 114.1 (31.67) mg/dL before administration to 78.7 (18.26) mg/dL (P = .0012) after 8 weeks of roxadustat administration. Complications observed in patients after roxadustat administration included reduced hemoglobin levels in 3 patients, gastrointestinal symptoms in 2 patients, and myocardial infarction in 1 patient.

Hemoglobin levels significantly increased, whereas ferritin and LDL cholesterol levels significantly decreased in patients with PTA after roxadustat administration. Roxadustat seems to be an effective treatment for patients with PTA; however, the blood clotting tendency due to iron deficiency should be monitored in patients.