Effects of Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs on Renal Function in Patients With Renal Insufficiency and in Cirrhotics

We have assessed the effects of acute and chronic administration of etodolac, ketoprofen, and indomethacin on renal function in patients with mild to moderate chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). We studied 18 normal volunteers and 24 patients with CRI due to hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus with creatinine clearances between 19 and 83 mL/min/1.73 m². Clearance studies were performed with the first dose of nonsteroidal anti! nflammatory drug (NSAID) to compare acute effects of the agent with a no-drug control. Subjects then received the NSAID for three to five days and, on the last day of study, underwent another clearance study to assess the effects of a single dose of NSAID superimposed on chronic dosing. With each dose of each NSAID, inulin and paraaminohippurate (PAH) clearances and fractional excretion of NA⁺ decreased. However, the baseline control collections after chronic dosing did not differ from the no-drug control periods. Hence, the decline in renal function with each dose is transient, and no overall adverse effect on renal function occurred with chronic dosing. In five patients with cirrhosis, we assessed the renal sparing effects of sulindac. After equilibration on a fixed sodium intake, they received a 200-mg dose of sulindac. In one patient, no adverse effect occurred; the remaining patients suffered declines in creatinine clearance of 29%, 87/0, 37%, and 37%, respectively. This effect was transient and returned to control values six to eight hours after sulindac administration. At the time of maximal depression of renal function, serum concentrations of sulindac sulfide were comparable to those in subjects with normal hepatic function. Hence, in susceptible patients, sulindac, like other NSAIDs, can adversely affect renal function.