Results: According to the predefined criteria, a total of ten studies (parallel group or cross-over trials, and case-control studies) were included and screened for data extraction by two reviewers, separately. The preliminary results extracted from meta-analysis have shown that pentoxifylline can significantly increase transferrin saturation (SMD: 0.348; CI95%: 0.008, 0.688), but there were no conclusive effects of pentoxifylline on hemoglobin (SMD: 0.171; CI95%: -0.390, 0.732), hematocrit (SMD: 0.466; CI95%: -1.426, 2.357), ferritin (SMD: -0.010; CI95%: -0.346, 0.326), and administered dose of erythropoietin (SMD: 0.114; CI95%: -0.232, 0.460), in pooled analyses.
Conclusion: There is uncertainty about therapeutic effects of pentoxifylline on anemia of CKD patients. Since these patients has many diverse complications and receive multiple drug therapy, the results of such meta-analysis regarding outcomes of pentoxifylline therapy may have beneficial effects on rational drug prescription.
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