Sulphinpyrazone dose schedule in hyperuricemic patients with cardiovascular diseases: tolerability assessment

Renal tolerability of four different dose schedule of sulphinpyrazone (S) was evaluated in a bi-centre, 2-week long open study performed in fifty-six cardiovascular patients of both sexes (47 males, 9 females; mean age 64 yrs) at different risk as regards serum uric acid levels. Each patient was allocated, according to his/her baseline values of serum uric acid or serum creatinine to four different sulphinpyrazone incremental dosage schedules. Renal function and other biochemical assessments (liver function; blood lipids; blood glucose) were assessed at the entry, after the 1st and the 2nd week. Reported signs and symptoms were collected at the 1st and the 2nd week, too. Renal function did not show any statistically and clinically significant impairment during the whole trial. General tolerability, both objective and subjective was particularly good. Only one patient was withdrawn because of reasons unrelated to the ongoing treatment. Sulphinpyrazone can be safely administered also in patients at risk as regards uric acid levels if the proposed therapeutic program is adopted.