THE INCIDENCE OF IMPAIRED RENAL FUNCTIONS TAKING LONG TERM OMEPRAZOLE FOR GASTRIC PROBLEMS

Abstract

Background: The proton pump inhibitors are principally recommended to treat acid related diseases.  There is evidence that long term use of this class may affect the renal functions.

Objective: To determine the incidence of impaired renal functions in patients taking long term Omeprazole for gastrointestinal reflux disease or peptic ulcer disease. 

Material and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Department of Medicine Public Sector Hospital, Islamabad, from Jul-2023 to Dec-2023. A total of 60 patients using oral Omeprazole at least 20mg tablet daily over a period of 6 months were enrolled in study group. Another 60 patients who were not taking any medication for their gastric problem were included as control group. All the investigations regarding demographics, medical history and laboratory investigations were recorded.  The primary outcome was the number of patients with prevalence of chronic kidney disease. 

Results: The mean age of study population was 51.08±9.52 years. The mean duration of Omeprazole use was 6.27±0.69 months. The results of primary outcomes showed that significantly higher number of patients developed chronic kidney disease in the study group compared to control group (43.33% Vs 10%, p<0.0001). Similarly, a significant decrease in eGFR was recorded in patients taking Omeprazole in comparison to the control group (64.23±27.16 Vs 85.53±16.7, p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Long term use of Omeprazole significantly increases the risk of impaired renal functions and should be recommended while considering this risk. This study specifically investigated Omeprazole; however, similar renal effects may extend to other proton pump inhibitors as a class.