A comparative randomized and placebo-controlled short-term trial of aspirin and dipyridamole for overt type-2 diabetic nephropathy

Abstract

Objective: Our aim was to determine the effect of short-term therapy with anti-platelet drugs on type-2 diabetic nephropathy for which a generally accepted therapy is missing.

Material and methods: Seventy-six patients with type-2 diabetic nephropathy, who had normal renal function tests were randomized into the 4 groups; each group (n = 19) received one of the following treatments: aspirin (1000 mg), dipyridamole (750 mg), their combination or placebo daily for 2 months. Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, serum electrolytes, creatinine clearance and 24 hours urine protein excretion rate was measured just before and at the end of the trial.

Results: Proteinuria and urinary protein: creatinine ratio decreased significantly in all 3 groups receiving aspirin and/or dipyridamole compared with the placebo group, also in each of those 3 groups comparing pre- and post-treatment values, while creatinine clearance rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar remained unchanged. At the end of the trial, the percentage proteinuria change was-15.9%,-14.8%,-37.3% and 1.9% in aspirin, dipyridamole, their combination and placebo groups respectively. The percentage proteinuria change had no positive correlation with demographic, clinical and laboratory findings but showed a strong positive correlation with mode of the therapy (r = 0.38, p = 0.0007). The percentage decline in proteinuria was significantly higher in the combination group than in the aspirin and dipyridamole groups. No side effects related to aspirin or dipyridamole was seen during the trial.

Conclusions: Short-term trial of aspirin and/or dipyridamole significantly reduces proteinuria of type-2 diabetic nephropathy, with the most prominent effect seen with combination of the 2 drugs.