The effect of allopurinol on lowering blood pressure in hemodialysis patients with hyperuricemia

• Main Authors: Mojgan Jalalzadeh, Zeinalabedin Nurcheshmeh, Ramin Mohammadi, Nouraddin Mousavinasab, Mohammad Hassan Ghadiani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01
• Series: Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Allopurinol; end stage renal disease; high blood pressure; uric acid
• Online Access: http://www.jmsjournal.net/article.asp?issn=1735-1995;year=2012;volume=17;issue=11;spage=1039;epage=1046;aulast=Jalalzadeh

Background: Hyperuricemia has been associated with the development of high blood pressure (BP). We studied the effects of allopurinol therapy in hyperuricemic hemodialysis (HD) patients with high BP. Materials and Methods: This single-blind, randomized cross-over clinical study involved 55 HD patients with serum uric acid level > 6.5 (men) and > 5.5 mg/dL (women). They were randomly divided in two groups, each of which went through two phases. Group-1 in phase-1 received 100 mg/day orally of allopurinol for three months; while Group-2 was given whatever medication they received prior to the study. After two months of washing period, the groups were crossed-over. The BP levels were measured before and after HD during the eight months study period. Results: Fifty-three patients completed the study (33 men and 20 women, with mean age of 55.8 years). Uric acid levels decreased significantly during the12 weeks of allopurinol therapy (7.71 ± 1.53 to 5.2 ± 1.2 P < 0.005). Overall, after the 12 weeks of allopurinol therapy, systolic and diastolic BP also significantly decreased in allopurinol group, 15.8% (139 to 117, P < 0.0005) and 8.6% (81 to 74, P < .0005), respectively. There were not significant changes in body mass index, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, hemoglobin, liver enzymes and serum electrolytes level after treatment. Patients treated with allopurinol had a significant increase in the quality of dialysis (KT/V) (P: 0.043). Conclusions: In HD patients, allopurinol treatment reduced BP. The results indicate a new potential therapeutic approach for controlling BP in HD patients.