A Study on Potential Drug-Drug Interactions among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

INTRODUCTION:

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is kidney damage or reduced function for over three months, affecting 700–850 million people worldwide. Comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and dyslipidemia cause polypharmacy, raising the risk of pDDIs. These can lower efficacy, prolong hospitalization, increase costs, and cause mortality. Identifying factors aids safer prescribing and better outcomes.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

To assess the potential drug-drug interactions among patients with chronic kidney disease and to study its severity.

METHODOLOGY:

A retrospective observational study will be conducted for a period of six months, from September 2025 to February 2026. The case sheets of inpatients who have undergone treatment for chronic kidney disease in the department of nephrology, from January 2023 to December 2024 will be reviewed from the Medical Records Department. The details pertaining to socio-demographic and clinical parameters as well as treatment related information will be collected in a well-designed data collection form. The potential drug-drug interactions will be identified using UpToDate software.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Statistical analysis will be done using SPSS 29.0. Qualitative data will be presented as frequency and percentage. Quantitative data will be presented as mean ± standard deviation. Factors associated with pDDIs will be analyzed using Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test. A p value <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

OUTCOME MEASURES:

The study is expected to enable early identification and assessment of potential drug-drug interactions in CKD patients, allowing clinicians to implement necessary interventions to optimize therapy. As a result, it could help minimize adverse effects, reduce economic burden, and enhance both therapeutic effectiveness and the overall quality of prescribing.