Does receiving red yeast rice prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®) increase the risk of end-stage renal disease or not? A retrospective cohort study
Chuen-Chau Chang, Fai Lam, Chun-Chieh Yeh, Jaung-Geng Lin, Ta-Liang Chen, Chien-Chang LiaoBackground
The potential relationship between the consumption of red yeast rice (RYR) and the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the risk of ESRD in patients who used RYR.
Methods
Utilizing insurance claim records from 2010 to 2014, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis comparing 67,876 individuals using RYR against a control group of 90,836 lovastatin users
Results
During follow-up, the ESRD incidence was 0.9 per 1,000 person-years in RYR users, compared to 3.7 per 1,000 person-years in lovastatin users (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.32–0.40). A dose-dependent reduction in ESRD risk was observed with increasing RYR prescriptions. Sensitivity analysis, excluding ESRD cases within the initial six months, confirmed a persistent association between RYR use and reduced ESRD risk (adjusted HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64–0.81).
Conclusion
RYR intake may be linked to a decreased likelihood of progressing to ESRD. Despite these promising results, factors such as medication adherence necessitate cautious interpretation. Further randomized controlled trials are required to validate these findings and clarify RYR’s role in slowing kidney disease progression.