title: The effect of pentoxifylline on oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease patients with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent hyporesponsiveness: Sub-study of the HERO trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pentoxifylline has previously been shown to increase haemoglobin levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA)-hyporesponsive anaemia in the HERO multi-centre double-blind, randomized controlled trial. The present study evaluated the effects of pentoxifylline on oxidative stress in ESA-hyporesponsive CKD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This sub-study of the HERO trial compared 15 patients in the pentoxifylline arm (400 mg daily) and 17 in the matched placebo arm on oxidative stress markers: plasma total F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pentoxifylline did not significantly alter total F2-isoprostanes (adjusted mean difference (MD) 35.01 pg/ml, P = 0.11), SOD activity (MD 0.82 U/ml, P = 0.07), GPX activity (MD -6.06 U/l, P = 0.09), or protein carbonyls (MD -0.04 nmol/mg, P = 0.52). Replicating results from the main study, pentoxifylline significantly increased haemoglobin concentration compared with controls (MD 7.2 g/l, P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pentoxifylline did not alter oxidative stress biomarkers, suggesting that alternative mechanisms may be responsible for the agent's ability to augment haemoglobin levels in CKD patients with ESA-hyporesponsive anaemia.
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|b Department of Nephrology , Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: c School of Human Movement Studies , University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|d Department of Nephrology , Princess Alexandra Hospital , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Sunil V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Badve
authors.affiliation: e Center for Health Policy, Programs & Economics , University of Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dalziel
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|f Menzies School of Health Research , Darwin , Australia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.affiliation: e Center for Health Policy, Programs & Economics , University of Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|g Department of Renal Medicine , Fremantle Hospital , Australia.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|h Department of Nephrology and Transplantation Services , University of Adelaide at Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Services , Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Alicia T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Morrish
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|i Department of Nephrology , Royal Melbourne Hospital , Australia.
authors.forename: Eugenie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pedagogos
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|j George Institute , Sydney , Australia.
authors.forename: Vlado
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perkovic
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reidlinger
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Anish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scaria
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|k Department of Renal Medicine , The Alfred Hospital , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Rowan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Liza A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|d Department of Nephrology , Princess Alexandra Hospital , Brisbane , Australia.|l Translational Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Carmel M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.affiliation: a Australasian Kidney Trials Network, University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.|d Department of Nephrology , Princess Alexandra Hospital , Brisbane , Australia.|l Translational Research Institute , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.lastname: On Behalf Of The Hero Study Collaborative Group
keywords: Anaemia; Chronic kidney disease; Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent; Oxidative stress; Pentoxifylline