title: Effects of telmisartan on proteinuria or albuminuria: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although telmisartan is suggested to improve proteinuria/albuminuria (or prevents progression of proteinuria/albuminuria), conclusive evidence is still lacking. We perform the first meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of telmisartan therapy on proteinuria/albuminuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched through February 2012. Eligible studies were prospective randomized controlled trials of telmisartan therapy versus other angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), other anti-hypertensive drug therapy, placebo, or no medication and reporting urinary protein/albumin excretion (UPE/UAE) or urinary protein/albumin to creatinine ratio (UPCR/UACR) levels as an outcome. For each study, data regarding percent changes from baseline to final UPE/UAE/UPCR/UACR levels in both the telmisartan and control groups were used to generate mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 49 potentially relevant articles screened initially, 20 reports of randomized trials enrolling a total of 25,425 patients were included. Pooled analysis suggested a significant reduction in percent changes of UPE/UAE/UPCR/UACR in the 7 ARB-control (MD, -19.99%; 95% CI, -28.68% to -11.30%; p<0.00001), 7 ACEI-control (MD, -14.08%; 95% CI, -25.36% to -2.80%; p=0.01), 6 non-ARB/ACEI-control (MD, -39.82%; 95% CI, -55.96% to -23.69%; p<0.00001), and all the 20 trials (MD, -24.36%; 95% CI, -32.85% to -15.87%; p<0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that, based on a meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials including >25,000 patients, telmisartan therapy is likely effective in the improvement of proteinuria/albuminuria or in the prevention of progression in proteinuria/albuminuria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shizuoka Medical Center, Shizuoka, Japan. kfgth973@ybb.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Shin-Nosuke
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umemoto
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001565:Benzoates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D000077333:Telmisartan; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001565:Benzoates; D000077333:Telmisartan