J Pak Med Assoc. 2026 May;76(5):788-791. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.26-38.
ABSTRACT
Anaemia is a common and clinically significant complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), contributing to reduced quality of life, cardiovascular morbidity, and increased mortality. Conventional management has relied predominantly on injectable erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron supplementation; however, these approaches are associated with limitations including hyporesponsiveness, injection burden, and safety concerns. Hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) have emerged as a novel therapeutic class that stimulates endogenous erythropoietin production while improving iron metabolism. Recent Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) anaemia guidelines acknowledge HIF-PHIs as therapeutic alternatives in selected patients. This review synthesizes available evidence and provides practical, evidence-based recommendations for the use of desidustat across different stages of CKD.
PMID:42261036 | DOI:10.47391/JPMA.26-38