Nutritional Effect of Nandrolone Decanoate in Predialysis Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Objective

The study objective was to examine the nutritional effect of nandrolone decanoate, an androgen derivative, in predialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Design

This was a prospective and experimental study.

Setting

The study was performed at the institutional level of clinical care.

Patients

Twenty-nine predialysis patients with CKD, with a glomerular filtration rate between 5 and 30 mL/min and moderate to severe malnutrition, were included and randomly divided into control (n = 13) and nandrolone decanoate (NAN, n = 16) groups.

Intervention

Patients in the control group received optimally conventional treatment of CKD. Patients in the NAN group, in addition to the conventional treatment, were intramuscularly injected with nandrolone decanoate at the dose of 100 mg per for 3 months.

Main Outcome Measure

Nutritional markers, including lean body mass (LBM), normalized protein catabolic rate, serum albumin, and lipids, were determined at baseline and 3-month periods.

Results

Baseline parameters in both groups were not different. After 3 months, the patients in the NAN group had increased LBM (P < .01) and decreased serum albumin levels (P < .05), but no changes in the values of normalized protein catabolic rate, serum lipids, hematocrit, and glomerular filtration rate. No alterations in all parameters were identified in the control group. Changes in LBM in the NAN group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < .05). Minor adverse effects were observed in a few patients in the NAN group.

Conclusion

Nandrolone decanoate expresses an anabolic effect on LBM without altering the renal function and thus would provide nutritional benefit in predialysis patients with CKD.