Patiromer utilization in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease under nephrology care in Germany.

Abstract

Background:

Hyperkalemia (HK) is a frequent condition in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Patiromer has recently been introduced as a potassium binder. Data on patiromer use in patients with CKD in the real-world setting in Europe are lacking. We describe time to discontinuation and changes in serum potassium levels among German CKD stage 3-5 patients starting patiromer.

Methods:

Duration of patiromer use was estimated by Kaplan-Meier curve, starting at patiromer initiation and censoring for death, dialysis, transplant or loss to follow-up. Serum potassium levels and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) use are described at baseline and during follow-up, restricted to patients remaining on patiromer.

Results:

We identified 140 patiromer users within our analysis sample [81% CKD stage 4/5, 83% receiving RAASi, and median K+ 5.7 (5.4, 6.3) mmol/L]. Thirty percent of patiromer users had prior history of polystyrene sulfonate use. Overall, 95% of patiromer users stayed on treatment past 1 month, with 53% continuing for over a year. Mean serum potassium levels decreased after patiromer initiation and remained stable under treatment during follow-up (up to 180 days). Among these patients, 73%-82% used RAASis during the time periods before and after patiromer initiation, with no obvious trend indicating discontinuation.

Conclusion:

Real-world evidence of patiromer use in Germany shows that, in line with what has been observed in clinical trials, patients on patiromer have a reduction in serum potassium when used long-term. Moreover, most patients on patiromer do not discontinue treatment prior to 1 year after initiation.

• Authors: Roberto Pecoits-Filho, Keith McCullough, Daniel Muenz, Carol Moreno Quinn, Jeff Budden, John Golden, Antonio Ramirez de Arellano, Frank-Peter Tillmann, Johannes Duttlinger, Viviane Calice-Silva, Ziad A Massy, Brian Bieber, Bruce M Robinson, Danilo Fliser, Helmut Reichel, CKDopps Investigators*
• Journal: Clinical kidney journal (Clin Kidney J) Vol. 16 Issue 1 Pg. 176-183 (Jan 2023) ISSN: 2048-8505 [Print] England
• PMID: 36726438 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.