Early and late effects of low-dose aspirin on renal function in elderly patients.
BACKGROUND
Although low-dose aspirin is used by many elderly patients, monitoring of renal function is currently not recommended. We recently reported transient retention of uric acid and creatinine caused by aspirin in doses of 75 to 325 mg/d. We therefore evaluated the renal effects of aspirin (100 mg/d), including post-treatment effects.


METHODS
We studied 83 stable geriatric patients in long-term care (aged 56 to 98 years) who were treated with low-dose aspirin (100 mg/d) for 2 weeks and 40 control patients. Other medications and diet were kept constant. Biochemical monitoring including blood samples and 24-hour urinary collections for creatinine and uric acid at baseline and weekly for a total of 5 weeks.


RESULTS
After 2 weeks on aspirin, urinary excretion of creatinine decreased in 60 (72%) and excretion of uric acid decreased in 54 (65%) of the 83 patients, and their mean clearances decreased; during the same period, serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid levels increased (P <0.05 for all). Deterioration from baseline levels was significantly greater (and more prevalent) in the aspirin-treated group than in the 40 control patients (P = 0.001 to 0.09). After withdrawal of aspirin these parameters improved. However, 3 weeks after stopping aspirin, 48% (35 of the 73 in whom this measurement was available) had a persistent decline in creatinine clearance from baseline, as compared with only 8% (3/36) controls (P <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term low-dose aspirin treatment may affect renal function in elderly patients. These effects persist 3 weeks after cessation of the drug in some of these patients.
Segal
Refael
R
Department of Geriatrics, Shmuel Harofeh Geriatric Medical Center, Beer Yaacov, Israel.
Lubart
Emilia
E
Leibovitz
Arthur
A
Berkovitch
Matitiahu
M
Habot
Beni
B
Yaron
Michael
M
Caspi
Dan
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D014527:Uric Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D001241:Aspirin