A Randomized Clinical Trial of the Effect of Pentoxifylline on C-Reactive Protein Level and Dialysis Adequacy in End-stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Introduction. C-reactive protein (CRP) is increased among patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Such inflammatory markers can result in protein-energy deficit syndromes and low adequacy of dialysis in these patients. This study evaluated the effect of pentoxifylline on serum CRP level and KT/V in end-stage renal disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis.
Material and Methods. This 1-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 73 patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis assessed the effectiveness of 400 mg/d of pentoxifylline on serum CRP level decrease and improvement of dialysis adequacy.
Results. The difference in mean serum CRP levels of the pentoxifylline and placebo groups was not significant before study. While CRP showed showed a significant increase in the placebo group after completing the interventions (P = .01), the difference was nonsignificant in the pentoxifylline group (P = .53). The difference in the mean adequacy of dialysis was not significant before the interventions between the two groups, while there was a significant increase in the pentoxifylline group (P = .01) and a nonsignificant increase in the placebo group (P = .31) after the interventions.
Conclusions. Among patients on maintenance hemodialysis, a 1-month trial of pentoxifylline was associated with a substantial improvement of adequacy of dialysis and a significant prevention from serum CRP level increase, but not a significant reduction in the mean serum CRP level.