Objective: To determine the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in preventing renal injury in patients with lithiasis undergoing extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL).
Patients and methods: Prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 100 patients with renal lithiasis who were treated with ESWL. The patients were distributed randomly into two groups receiving either placebo or CoQ10 (200 mg/day), a powerful antioxidant with vasoactive properties, orally administered during the week before ESWL and for 1 week after. Renal dysfunction markers, vasoactive hormones, oxidative stress, plasma levels of several interleukins and vascular resistance index (VRI) using Doppler ultrasound were evaluated the week before ESWL, 2 h before ESWL and at 2 h, 24 h and 7 days after ESWL.
Results: There was a significant increase in glomerular filtration (P = 0.013), as well as a decrease in the albumin/creatinine ratio and the β2 -microglobulin level (P = 0.02) after 1 week of treatment in the CoQ10 group. These changes were maintained at the follow-up after ESWL. The administration of CoQ10 was associated with improvement in vasoactive hormone parameters, VRI and interleukin levels. These improvements were maintained until the end of the follow-up period. However, the administration of CoQ10 was not associated with significant changes in the oxidative stress parameters.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that CoQ10 administration improves renal function and vasoactive and inflammation parameter values, allowing for preconditioning before the tissue insult caused by ESWL.
Keywords: coenzyme Q10; extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL); inflammation; oxidative stress; renal function.
© 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.