The effects of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F on renal outcomes in type 2 diabetic kidney disease patients with severe proteinuria: a single-center cohort study.

Aim: Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) has been shown to substantially reduce proteinuria in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD); however, the effect of TwHF on renal outcomes in DKD remains unknown. Accordingly, we aimed to establish the effects of TwHF on renal outcomes in patients with DKD. Methods: Overall, 124 patients with DKD, induced by type 2 diabetes mellitus, with 24-h proteinuria > 2g, and an estimated glomerular filtration rate > 30mL/min/1.73 m² were retrospectively investigated. The renal outcomes were defined as doubling serum creatinine levels or end-stage kidney disease. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses were performed to analyze prognostic factors for renal outcomes. Results: By the end of the follow-up, renal outcomes were observed in 23 and 11 patients in the non-TwHF and TwHF groups, respectively (p=0.006). TwHF significantly reduced the risk of renal outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.271, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.111–0.660, p=0.004) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) G3 (adjusted HR 0.274, 95%CI 0.081–0.932, p=0.039). Based on the Kaplan-Meier analysis, 1- and 3-year proportions of patients without renal outcomes were significantly lower in the non-TwHF group than those in the TwHF group (92.8% vs. 95.5% and 47.2% vs. 76.8%, respectively; p=0.0018). Conclusion: In DKD patients with severe proteinuria, TwHF could prevent DKD progression, especially in patients with CKD G3. A randomized clinical trial is needed to elucidate the benefits of TwHF on renal outcomes in patients with DKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]