Effect of pharmacist interventions in chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis

Pharmacists are uniquely placed with their therapeutic knowledge to manage people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Data are limited regarding the impact of pharmacist interventions on economic, clinical and humanistic outcomes (ECHO).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions with pharmacist input was conducted, which included adults with a diagnosis of CKD, including those with and without kidney replacement therapy. Data were extracted on ECHO: economic (e.g. healthcare-associated costs), clinical (e.g. mortality) and humanistic (e.g. patient satisfaction) outcomes. Where appropriate, a random-effects model meta-analysis generated a pooled estimate of effect. A direction of effect plot was used to summarize the overall effects for clinical outcome domains.

Thirty-two RCTs reported a total of 10 economic, 211 clinical and 18 humanistic outcomes. Pharmacist interventions resulted in statistically significant improvements in systolic blood pressure and hemoglobin levels, but not in diastolic blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, creatinine and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Mixed findings were reported for clinical and economic outcomes, whilst pharmacist interventions resulted in an improvement in humanistic outcomes such as patient satisfaction and patient knowledge.

Findings showed pharmacist interventions had mixed results for various outcomes. Future studies should be more robustly designed and take into consideration the role of the pharmacist in prescribing and deprescribing, the findings of which will help inform research and clinical practice.

The review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022304902).