SynthesisPloS one2015
Pentoxifylline for Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- The efficacy and safety of pentoxifylline in the treatment of chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026Pooled it
- Pentoxifylline plus ACEIs/ARBs for proteinuria and kidney function in chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis.The Journal of international medical research · 2017Pooled it
- Beyond traditional roles: vitamin D and erythropoietin as immune modulators in kidney diseases.Clinical kidney journal · 2026Review
- Assessing the efficacy and safety of pentoxifylline in preventing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and mucositis in breast cancer patients.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Anemia and Mineral Bone Disorder in Kidney Disease Patients: The Role of FGF-23 and Other Related Factors.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Selenoprotein-P1 (SEPP1) Expression in Human Proximal Tubule Cells after Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: An In Vitro Model.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Article
- New Insights on the Role of Marinobufagenin from Bench to Bedside in Cardiovascular and Kidney Diseases.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Low hemoglobin levels and an increased risk of psoriasis in patients with chronic kidney disease.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- OCT angiography metrics predict intradialytic hypotension episodes in chronic hemodialysis patients: a pilot, prospective study.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- The Influence of Inflammation on Anemia in CKD Patients.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Review
- Review
- Cardiovascular Event Rates Among Hemodialysis Patients Across Geographical Regions-A Snapshot From The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS).Kidney international reports · 2019Article
- Unraveling Cardiovascular Risk in Renal Patients: A New Take on Old Tale.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPentoxifylline (PTX) is a promising therapeutic approach for reducing inflammation and improving anemia associated to various systemic disorders. However, whether this agent may be helpful for anemia management also in CKD patients is still object of debate. STUDY
designSystematic review and meta-analysis. POPULATION: Adults with CKD (any KDOQI stage, including ESKD patients on regular dialysis) and anemia (Hb<13 g/dL in men or < 12 g/dL in women). SEARCH STRATEGY AND SOURCES: Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, Ovid-MEDLINE and PubMed were searched for studies providing data on the effects of PTX on anemia parameters in CKD patients without design or follow-up restriction.
interventionPTX derivatives at any dose regimen. OUTCOMES: Hemoglobin, hematocrit, ESAs dosage and resistance (ERI), iron indexes (ferritin, serum iron, TIBC, transferrin and serum hepcidin) and adverse events.
resultsWe retrieved 11 studies (377 patients) including seven randomized controlled trials (all comparing PTX to placebo or standard therapy) one retrospective case-control study and three prospective uncontrolled studies. Overall, PTX increased hemoglobin in three uncontrolled studies but such improvement was not confirmed in a meta-analysis of seven studies (299 patients) (MD 0.12 g/dL, 95% CI -0.22 to 0.47). Similarly, there were no conclusive effects of PTX on hematocrit, ESAs dose, ferritin and TSAT in pooled analyses. Data on serum iron, ERI, TIBC and hepcidin were based on single studies. No evidence of increased rate of adverse events was also noticed. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and limited number of studies. High heterogeneity among studies with respect to CKD and anemia severity, duration of intervention and responsiveness/current therapy with iron or ESAs.
conclusionsThere is currently no conclusive evidence supporting the utility of pentoxifylline for improving anemia control in CKD patients. Future trials designed on hard, patient-centered outcomes with larger sample size and longer follow-up are advocated.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.