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This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of desidustat for managing anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

May 27, 2026Cureus0 citationsOpen Access

A Retrospective Real-World Multicenter Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Desidustat in Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Anemia

SGSanjeev GulatiFortis Escorts Hospital DPDilip PahariIndo-US Super Speciality Hospital KSKaran SarafUniversity of Calgary

Key Points

This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of desidustat for managing anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Retrospective analysis of patients with CKD-induced anemia receiving desidustat.
Follow-up assessments at one, two, and six months post-treatment initiation.
Evaluation of hemoglobin levels, therapy compliance, and safety parameters.
Hemoglobin levels increased from a baseline mean of 9.11 g/dL to 10.13 g/dL at six months (p < 0.005).
Improvements in hemoglobin of 9.13% at one month, 12.05% at two months, and 12.39% at six months from baseline.
Treatment was well-tolerated with mild adverse events, allowing continued therapy.

Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) often leads to a relative deficiency of erythropoietin (EPO), resulting in anemia. Exogenous erythropoietin analogs are commonly used to address this deficiency. Desidustat, a recently approved hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor (HIF-PHI), enhances endogenous EPO production. This study evaluates the multicenter outcomes of desidustat in treating CKD-induced anemia. Methodology: This retrospective analysis included patients with CKD-induced anemia who received desidustat. Patients were followed up at one month, two months, and six months post-treatment initiation. Oral or intravenous (IV) iron was administered based on iron depletion status. Dosage adjustments, therapy compliance, hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and safety parameters were assessed at each follow-up. Results: The study included 517 patients with CKD-induced anemia, comprising 39.38% (204) male patients and 60.61% (313) female patients, with a mean age of 57.86 ± 14.24 years. Comorbid conditions included diabetes mellitus (44.29%, 229 patients) and hypertension (61.31%, 317 patients). The majority of patients (88.18%, 456 patients) received desidustat 100 mg thrice weekly. Hemoglobin levels increased from a baseline mean of 9.11 ± 1.38 g/dL to 9.83 ± 1.52 g/dL at follow-up 1, 10.10 ± 1.59 g/dL at follow-up 2, and 10.13 ± 1.74 g/dL at follow-up 3 (p < 0.005), reflecting sustained improvements of 9.13% (0.72 g/dL), 12.05% (0.99 g/dL), and 12.39% (1.02 g/dL) from baseline, respectively. Both dialysis-dependent and pre-dialysis patients showed a consistent rise in Hb levels from baseline, with a numerically greater increase observed in the pre-dialysis group, likely due to better residual kidney function. The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with mild adverse events (AEs) such as constipation and throat pain, which did not require discontinuation of therapy. Conclusion: Desidustat is a safe and effective oral therapy for CKD-induced anemia, demonstrating consistent Hb increases in both dialysis and pre-dialysis patients. Its oral administration route enhances usability, particularly in tropical conditions.

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