Colchicine use after acute myocardial infarction is associated with reduced dialysis dependence in advanced chronic

Cheng-Chun Wei1,2, Ming-Hsien Tsai2,3,4, Yu-Wei Fang2,3

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Scientific Reports
|June 4, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Early colchicine therapy may reduce dialysis dependence in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Survival benefits require further investigation in prospective studies.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Limited evidence-based treatments exist for improving renal outcomes in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
  • Colchicine, an anti-inflammatory agent, has potential therapeutic roles in cardiovascular and renal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical effects of colchicine therapy on renal outcomes, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and mortality in advanced CKD patients following AMI.
  • To assess the impact of early colchicine initiation on these outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX US Collaborative Network.
  • Included adults with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤ 45 mL/min/1.73 m² diagnosed with AMI between 2012-2022.
  • 1:1 propensity score matching of 1,200 patients who received colchicine within 1 month post-AMI versus those who did not; Cox proportional-hazards and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed.

Main Results:

  • Colchicine use within one month post-AMI was associated with a reduced risk of dialysis dependence (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53-0.79) over 4 years.
  • No significant differences were observed in MACE (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.94-1.15) or all-cause mortality (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.87-1.22) between groups.
  • Landmark analysis indicated that initiating colchicine within two weeks post-AMI was linked to a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99).

Conclusions:

  • Early colchicine therapy in advanced CKD patients experiencing AMI may decrease the risk of requiring dialysis.
  • The potential survival benefits of colchicine in this population remain uncertain and warrant confirmation through prospective research.

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