Does receiving red yeast rice prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®) increase the risk of end-stage renal disease or not? A retrospective cohort study
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
- 2Anesthesiology and Health Policy Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taiwan
- 3Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
- 4Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- 5Department of Surgery, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- 6School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taiwan
- 7Department of Anesthesiology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
- 8Research Center of Big Data and Meta-Analysis, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract
Background: The potential relationship between the consumption of red yeast rice (RYR) and the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the risk of ESRD in patients who used RYR. Methods: Utilizing insurance claim records from 2010 to 2014, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis comparing 67,876 individuals using RYR against a control group of 90,836 lovastatin users (non-RYR group), with follow-up extending through 2019. The incidence of ESRD was analyzed using adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) within Cox proportional hazard models. Results: During follow-up, the ESRD incidence was 0.9 per 1,000 person-years in RYR users, compared to 3.7 per 1,000 person-years in lovastatin users (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.32–0.40). A dose-dependent reduction in ESRD risk was observed with increasing RYR prescriptions. Sensitivity analysis, excluding ESRD cases within the initial six months, confirmed a persistent association between RYR use and reduced ESRD risk (adjusted HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64–0.81). Conclusion: RYR intake may be linked to a decreased likelihood of progressing to ESRD. Despite these promising results, factors such as medication adherence necessitate cautious interpretation. Further randomized controlled trials are required to validate these findings and clarify RYR’s role in slowing kidney disease progression.
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BibTeX
@article{chang2026does,
title = {{Does receiving red yeast rice prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®) increase the risk of end-stage renal disease or not? A retrospective cohort study}},
author = {Chuen-Chau Chang and Fai Lam and Chun-Chieh Yeh and Jaung-Geng Lin and Ta-Liang Chen and Chien-Chang Liao},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0345243},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0345243},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Does receiving red yeast rice prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®) increase the risk of end-stage renal disease or not? A retrospective cohort study
AU - Chuen-Chau Chang
AU - Fai Lam
AU - Chun-Chieh Yeh
AU - Jaung-Geng Lin
AU - Ta-Liang Chen
AU - Chien-Chang Liao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0345243
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0345243
AB - Background: The potential relationship between the consumption of red yeast rice (RYR) and the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the risk of ESRD in patients who used RYR. Methods: Utilizing insurance claim records from 2010 to 2014, we performed a retrospective cohort analysis comparing 67,876 individuals using RYR against a control group of 90,836 lovastatin users (non-RYR group), with follow-up extending through 2019. The incidence of ESRD was analyzed using adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) within Cox proportional hazard models. Results: During follow-up, the ESRD incidence was 0.9 per 1,000 person-years in RYR users, compared to 3.7 per 1,000 person-years in lovastatin users (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.32–0.40). A dose-dependent reduction in ESRD risk was observed with increasing RYR prescriptions. Sensitivity analysis, excluding ESRD cases within the initial six months, confirmed a persistent association between RYR use and reduced ESRD risk (adjusted HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64–0.81). Conclusion: RYR intake may be linked to a decreased likelihood of progressing to ESRD. Despite these promising results, factors such as medication adherence necessitate cautious interpretation. Further randomized controlled trials are required to validate these findings and clarify RYR’s role in slowing kidney disease progression.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -