# The Effects of Febuxostat on Urine NGAL and Urine KIM-1 in Patients with Hyperuricemia

Authors: Yushang Tang; Tongqiang Liu; Qiuping Cai; Minwen Zhao
Journal: Journal of Healthcare Engineering
 (2022)

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## Abstract

Retrospective analysis of the effects of febuxostat on urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) in patients with hyperuricemia was performed. From January 2018 to June 2018, there were 45 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia in the outpatient or inpatient of Changzhou Second People’s Hospital, which were divided into the febuxostat group (25 cases) and the control group (20 cases). We collected the patients’ baseline indicators and testing indicators after three months of treatment, including blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, blood uric acid, urine microalbumin, urine NGAL, urine KIM-1, and other indicators. The subjects in both groups were given lifestyle intervention, instructed to drink more water, and given a low-purine diet. The patients in the febuxostat group took febuxostat 40 mg/D or 80 mg/D. We used SPSS 25.0 statistical software for statistical analysis. Baseline indexes between the febuxostat group and the control group and indexes after treatment between two groups were both performed by independent samplet-test, and paired t-test was used for self-comparison between the groups before and after treatment. There was no significant difference in age, sex, body mass index (BMI), urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). Compared with before treatment, after 3 months of intervention, the levels of serum uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05), while the changes of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and epidermal growth factor receptor (eGFR) were not statistically significant (P>0.05). After 3 months of intervention, the control group had no significant changes in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, eGFR, uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine (P>0.05). After 3 months of intervention, compared with the control group, the serum uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and eGFR (P>0.05). Febuxostat can reduce urine NGAL/creatinine and urine KIM-1/creatinine levels in patients with hyperuricemia and has the protective effects on renal tubular injury caused by hyperuricemia, which can provide evidences for the early prevention and treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

With the continuous improvement of living standards and the changes of people’s dietary structure, the incidence and prevalence rate of hyperuricemia are increasing year by year [1]. A study of the Institute of Nephrology, Southeast University in 2009–2010, found that the prevalence of hyperuricemia in Chinese adults was 8.4%, which was significantly higher in urban areas than in rural areas (14.9% vs 6.6%). The prevalence of hyperuricemia in the economically developed areas was as high as 21.4%, reaching the level of western developed countries [2]. At the same time, a number of studies have confirmed that hyperuricemia is closely related to the occurrence and development of kidney disease and is an independent risk factor of kidney disease [1]. Studies in related animal experiments have shown that compared with the control group, hyperuricemia rat models had higher blood pressure, more proteinuria, and more significant renal dysfunction. Meanwhile, the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle, glomerulosclerosis, and interstitial fibrosis increased significantly [3]. These models received allopurinol, which found that allopurinol can not only reduce uric acid but also reduce the renal dysfunction and histomorphology changes [4]. Goicoechea et al. [5] reported that allopurinol had protective effects on renal damage caused by hyperuricemia patients, which can reduce urinary protein, serum urea nitrogen, and creatinine and improve renal tissue lesions to a certain extent. The clinical research results at home and abroad showed that febuxostat can effectively improve eGFR and delay the progress of renal function in patients with renal insufficiency accompanied by hyperuricemia [6–8]. These findings suggest that the decrease of serum uric acid may delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD).At present, the protective effect of uric acid-lowering therapy on renal function is not very clear. The existing guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases do not explicitly mention whether lowering uric acid can delay the progression of CKD. Whether clinicians should give active treatment to asymptomatic hyperuricemia is still controversial. It is uncertain whether lowering uric acid can reduce kidney injury markers. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) recently discovered the early biomarkers of renal tubular injury, which have high sensitivity and specificity. NGAL is a member of the lipid transporter superfamily, which is covalently bound to neutrophil gelatinase. It can be expressed at a low level in the kidney, lung, trachea, and other tissues [9]. The renal tubular epithelial cells are stimulated by injury, which induce apoptosis of the neutrophils infiltrated in the renal tubular stroma. NGAL is significantly overexpressed. Its protein has a small molecular weight and is not easy to be degraded. It is excessively excreted in the urine, which can be easily detected. At the same time, NGAL can promote the repair of tubular epithelial cells [10]. The 2013 ADQI guidelines recommended NGAL as an early marker of acute kidney injury (AKI). In recent years, it has been found that NGAL has a good prospect in the prediction of chronic kidney disease. NGAL is closely related to diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, renal interstitial fibrosis, interstitial nephritis, and contrast agent nephropathy. NGAL plays an important role in the occurrence and development of chronic kidney disease [11]. KIM-1 is a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily and a type I transmembrane glycoprotein. It is involved in cell signal transduction, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. It is lowly expressed in normal kidney, but highly expressed in renal tubular epithelial cells after renal injury. It is released to the outside of cells as soluble fragments and discharged into urine. The level of KIM-1 in urine is positively related to the degree of renal tubular injury. KIM-1 is involved in the process of renal tubular inflammation and fibrosis, which can effectively predict the degree of renal injury [12]. Our previous study showed that hyperuricemia is an independent influencing factor of urine NGAL/creatinine and KIM-1/creatinine. NGAL and KIM-1 can be used as early biomarkers of renal tubular injury caused by HUA [13].This study retrospectively analyzed the effects of febuxostat on urinary NGAL and KIM-1 in patients with hyperuricemia and to determine whether uric acid-lowering therapy has a protective effect on kidney.


## 2. Patients

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Changzhou Second People’s Hospital and all subjects gave written informed consent and authorization. 45 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia in the outpatient or inpatient of Changzhou Second People’s Hospital from January 2018 to June 2018 were analyzed retrospectively, including 33 males and 12 females. All patients were treated with lifestyle intervention for 3 months. Inclusion criteria: (1) patients older than 18 years old; (2) patients meeting the diagnosis of hyperuricemia (under normal purine diet, men >416μmol/L (7 mg/dl) and women >357 μmol/L (6 mg/dl) of fasting blood uric acid twice a day); (3) estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >75 ml/min/1.73 m2. Exclusion criteria: (1) patients using allopurinol, benzbromarone, diuretic, losartan, and other drugs that affect the metabolism of uric acid in the past six months; (2) suffering from the following diseases: acute gouty arthritis, primary and other secondary nephritis, heart failure, liver dysfunction, hematological diseases, autoimmune diseases, and malignant tumors; (3) patients using immunosuppressive drugs; (4) patients deemed by the investigator to be inappropriate.


## 3. Study Design

General information (name, age, gender) and clinical data (body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, etc.) were recorded. The biochemical indicators of the baseline and three months after treatment were collected, including blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, urine microalbumin, urine NGAL, and urine KIM-1. The subjects in both groups were given lifestyle intervention, instructed to drink more water, and given a low-purine diet. The patients in the febuxostat group received febuxostat 40 mg/D or 80 mg/D. The patients in the control group received no medication.


## 4. Statistical Analysis

SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis. The measurement data of the normal distribution was expressed byx¯±SD. The comparison of baseline indicators between the febuxostat group and the control group and the comparison of indicators after treatment between the two groups were both conducted by independent sample t-test (the analysis was conducted after the log transformation of abnormal distribution data). The paired t-test was used before and after treatment of each group. The counting data was expressed as percentage, and the difference between groups was compared by means of chi-square test. Statistical significance was defined as two-tailed P less than 0.05.


## 5. Results

### 5.1. Patient Characteristics

There were 25 cases in the febuxostat group and 20 cases in the control group. There were no significant differences in gender, age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure between the two groups (P>0.05, Table 1). There were no significant differences in blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, blood uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05, Table 2).Table 1
Comparison of baseline conditions between the two groups.
NumberAge (year)Sex (male/female)BMI (kg/m2)SBP (mmHg)DBP (mmHg)The febuxostat group2534 ± 720/523.9 ± 3.1135 ± 2083 ± 15The control group2036 ± 918/724.8 ± 3.4130 ± 2280 ± 17T ORχ2—0.8390.4390.9270.7970.628P value—0.4060.5070.3590.4290.533Table 2
Comparison between the two groups after treatment.
VariableBUN (mmol/L)CR (μmol/L)eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2)UA (μmol/L)Urine microalbumin/CR (mg/g)Urine NGAL/CR (μg/g)Urine KIM-1/CR (μg/g)BaselineFebuxostat5.9 ± 1.980.7 ± 19.699 ± 14555 ± 8150 ± 1512.1 ± 2.42.4 ± 0.5Control6.1 ± 1.978.1 ± 24.7102 ± 13570 ± 8248 ± 1813.8 ± 4.12.6 ± 0.6P value0.7200.6960.4650.5430.6860.0890.229TreatmentFebuxostat5.7 ± 2.077.6 ± 24.5103 ± 17319 ± 9824 ± 86.7 ± 2.51.2 ± 0.3Control6.0 ± 2.178 ± 26.3100 ± 15568 ± 8945 ± 1714.5 ± 4.22.8 ± 0.7P value0.6270.9580.539<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001


### 5.2. Self-Comparison of the Two Groups before and after Treatment

After 3 months of intervention, the levels of serum uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05, Table 3), while the levels of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and eGFR were not statistically significant (P>0.05, Table 3). After 3 months of intervention, there were no significant changes in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, EGFR, uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine of the control group (P>0.05, Table 3).Table 3
Self-comparison of the two groups before and after treatment.
TimeBUN (mmol/L)CR (μmol/L)eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2)UA (μmol/L)Urine microalbumin/CR (mg/g)Urine NGAL/CR (μg/g)Urine KIM-1/CR (μg/g)Febuxostat (n = 25)Baseline5.9 ± 1.980.7 ± 19.699 ± 14555 ± 8150 ± 1512.1 ± 2.42.4 ± 0.53 months5.7 ± 2.077.6 ± 24.5103 ± 17319 ± 9824 ± 86.7 ± 2.51.2 ± 0.3P value0.7190.6240.368<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001Control (n = 20)Baseline6.1 ± 1.978.1 ± 24.7102 ± 13570 ± 8248 ± 1813.8 ± 4.12.6 ± 0.63 months6.0 ± 2.178.0 ± 26.3100 ± 15568 ± 8945 ± 1714.5 ± 4.22.8 ± 0.7P value0.9450.9900.6550.9420.5910.5970.338


### 5.3. Comparison between the Two Groups after Treatment

After 3 months of intervention, compared with the control group, the serum uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05, Table 2), but there was no significant difference in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and eGFR (P>0.05, Table 2).


## 5.1. Patient Characteristics

There were 25 cases in the febuxostat group and 20 cases in the control group. There were no significant differences in gender, age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure between the two groups (P>0.05, Table 1). There were no significant differences in blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, blood uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05, Table 2).Table 1
Comparison of baseline conditions between the two groups.
NumberAge (year)Sex (male/female)BMI (kg/m2)SBP (mmHg)DBP (mmHg)The febuxostat group2534 ± 720/523.9 ± 3.1135 ± 2083 ± 15The control group2036 ± 918/724.8 ± 3.4130 ± 2280 ± 17T ORχ2—0.8390.4390.9270.7970.628P value—0.4060.5070.3590.4290.533Table 2
Comparison between the two groups after treatment.
VariableBUN (mmol/L)CR (μmol/L)eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2)UA (μmol/L)Urine microalbumin/CR (mg/g)Urine NGAL/CR (μg/g)Urine KIM-1/CR (μg/g)BaselineFebuxostat5.9 ± 1.980.7 ± 19.699 ± 14555 ± 8150 ± 1512.1 ± 2.42.4 ± 0.5Control6.1 ± 1.978.1 ± 24.7102 ± 13570 ± 8248 ± 1813.8 ± 4.12.6 ± 0.6P value0.7200.6960.4650.5430.6860.0890.229TreatmentFebuxostat5.7 ± 2.077.6 ± 24.5103 ± 17319 ± 9824 ± 86.7 ± 2.51.2 ± 0.3Control6.0 ± 2.178 ± 26.3100 ± 15568 ± 8945 ± 1714.5 ± 4.22.8 ± 0.7P value0.6270.9580.539<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001


## 5.2. Self-Comparison of the Two Groups before and after Treatment

After 3 months of intervention, the levels of serum uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05, Table 3), while the levels of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and eGFR were not statistically significant (P>0.05, Table 3). After 3 months of intervention, there were no significant changes in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, EGFR, uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine of the control group (P>0.05, Table 3).Table 3
Self-comparison of the two groups before and after treatment.
TimeBUN (mmol/L)CR (μmol/L)eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2)UA (μmol/L)Urine microalbumin/CR (mg/g)Urine NGAL/CR (μg/g)Urine KIM-1/CR (μg/g)Febuxostat (n = 25)Baseline5.9 ± 1.980.7 ± 19.699 ± 14555 ± 8150 ± 1512.1 ± 2.42.4 ± 0.53 months5.7 ± 2.077.6 ± 24.5103 ± 17319 ± 9824 ± 86.7 ± 2.51.2 ± 0.3P value0.7190.6240.368<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001Control (n = 20)Baseline6.1 ± 1.978.1 ± 24.7102 ± 13570 ± 8248 ± 1813.8 ± 4.12.6 ± 0.63 months6.0 ± 2.178.0 ± 26.3100 ± 15568 ± 8945 ± 1714.5 ± 4.22.8 ± 0.7P value0.9450.9900.6550.9420.5910.5970.338


## 5.3. Comparison between the Two Groups after Treatment

After 3 months of intervention, compared with the control group, the serum uric acid, microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly decreased in the febuxostat group (P<0.05, Table 2), but there was no significant difference in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and eGFR (P>0.05, Table 2).


## 6. Discussion

Current studies have found that hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for the occurrence and development of kidney diseases (chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury) [14]. However, the mechanism of uric acid-mediated renal injury is still unclear. Previous studies had suggested that uric acid can cause chronic interstitial nephritis or acute obstructive nephropathy through the deposition of urate crystals in renal tubules and interstitium. In recent years, animal studies had found that uric acid played an important role in promoting glomerulosclerosis and interstitial cell fibrosis by impairing vascular endothelial function, stimulating proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, promoting inflammatory response and immune response, activating renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, changing hemodynamics, and increasing systemic blood pressure and glomerular internal pressure [15–17]. The latest research found that renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis appeared before renal insufficiency in hyperuricemia model rats, suggesting the direct toxicity of uric acid to renal tubules. Changes in renal tubular morphology can be reduced by uric acid-lowering treatment [18]. Many clinical studies have found that uric acid-lowering treatment can effectively reduce serum creatinine and improve glomerular filtration rate and renal function [5–8]. Therefore, the early prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia are of great significance to prevent and delay the occurrence and development of kidney diseases.Febuxostat, a novel, nonpurine analogue inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, has high selectivity for xanthine oxidase. It can inhibit the formation of uric acid in vivo and is suitable for patients with renal insufficiency. It is an effective substitute for patients with allopurinol intolerance, and its clinical efficacy is better than allopurinol [19, 20]. In recent years, clinical studies at home and abroad have found that febuxostat can not only effectively reduce the level of blood uric acid but also improve glomerular filtration rate and renal function and delay the progress of CKD in patients with renal insufficiency. Sircar et al. [20] found that eGFR of ckd3-4 hyperuricemia patients was increased significantly from 31.5 ± 13.6 to 33.7 ± 16.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 after febuxostat therapy, while eGFR of the control group decreased significantly from 32.6 ± 11.6 to 28.2 ± 11.5 ml/min/1.73 m2). In this experiment, we observed the effects of febuxostat on the blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, microalbumin, NGAL, and KIM-1 to explore whether febuxostat has a protective effect on early renal injury. This study found that there was no significant difference in blood urea nitrogen, blood creatinine, and eGFR before and after the treatment between the febuxostat group and the control group (P>0.05), which was maybe related to the normal renal function of the patients, and in the early stage of renal injury, the increase of blood urea nitrogen and blood creatinine was not obvious, which was affected by gender, age, weight, and other related factors. It has low sensitivity and has limitations in predicting early renal damage. Renal injury caused by hyperuricemia is a long-term and chronic process, but the short observation time in this study is not enough to observe the effect on renal function. Our study found that after 3 months of treatment, the levels of serum uric acid, urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine were significantly reduced in the febuxostat group. Febuxostat can not only effectively reduce the level of serum uric acid but also reduce the levels of urine microalbumin/creatinine, urine NGAL/creatinine, and urine KIM-1/creatinine, which have a protective effect on early renal injury. Sanchez-Lozada et al. [21] treated 5/6 nephrectomized rats with hyperuricemia with febuxostat. They found that the urinary protein and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis were significantly reduced, which was consistent with our experimental results. However, as a nonpurine xanthine oxidase selective inhibitor, it is not clear whether the protective effect of febuxostat on the kidney is based on the reduction of uric acid level, or on its inhibition of oxidative stress and other effects. Sanchez Lozada et al. [21] also obtained the effect of improving renal function after the treatment of nonhyperuricemia model in 5/6 nephrectomy rats with febuxostat. Therefore, more basic experiments are needed to explore whether febuxostat can treat other diseases in the future.In summary, the results of this experiment suggest that febuxostat can effectively reduce the levels of urine NGAL/creatinine and urine KIM-1/creatinine, which have a protective effect on early renal tubular injury caused by hyperuricemia and provide a basis for the early treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia. However, there are some limitations in this study, such as single center, small sample size, and short follow-up time. In the future, more high-quality, large-scale, and large-sample randomized controlled trials are needed to further verify.



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