title: Anti-proteinuric effect of sulodexide in immunoglobulin a nephropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a multi-center randomized double-blind study to determine the effects of 6-month therapy with sulodexide on urinary protein excretion in patients with idiopathic Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of seventy-seven patients participated in the study. They were randomly allocated to one of three groups: sulodexide 75 mg or 150 mg daily or the placebo for 6 months. The primary end point was the achievement, at 6 months, of at least 50% reduction in urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) from the baseline value.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, the primary end point was achieved by 12.5% of the patients assigned to the placebo, 4.0% of the patients assigned to sulodexide 75 mg daily and 21.4% of those assigned to 150 mg (p=0.308). Treatment with sulodexide 150 mg daily for 6 months significantly reduced log UPCR from 6.38±0.77 at baseline to 5.98±0.94 at 6 months (p=0.045), while treatment with sulodexide 75 mg daily and placebo did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 6-month treatment with sulodexide did not achieve 50% reduction of urinary protein excretion in IgA nephropathy patients, but showed a tendency to increase the time-dependent anti-proteinuric effect. Therefore, long-term clinical trials on a larger scale are warranted to elucidate the hypothesis that sulodexide affords renal protection in IgA nephropathy patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Transplantation Research Institute, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Kitae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Ho Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Dong Wan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Kwon Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Yon Su
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suhnggwon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Don
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Hwajung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Curie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Kook-Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C007858:glucuronyl glucosamine glycan sulfate