A new analysis of studies on roxadustat, a drug for anemia related to chronic kidney disease (CKD), shows it can help people on peritoneal dialysis. The review combined data from 607 patients and found that roxadustat significantly increased hemoglobin levels by an average of 0.35 g/dL. It also boosted serum iron and total iron-binding capacity, and reduced hepcidin, a hormone that can block iron use.
Other measures like ferritin, transferrin saturation, cholesterol, and blood pressure did not change significantly. The drug was studied in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis, a type of dialysis done at home. The review did not report on side effects or how well patients tolerated the treatment.
Because the evidence is still limited, these findings should be seen as promising but not definitive. More research is needed to confirm the benefits and understand the risks. For now, roxadustat appears to be a helpful option for managing anemia in this group, but patients should discuss it with their healthcare team.