Chen N, Hao C, Liu BC, et al. - Via a trial done in China of 305 individuals who underwent dialysis and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent therapy with epoetin alfa for at least 6 weeks, researchers determined the efficacy and safety of roxadustat in comparison with standard therapy (epoetin alfa) for the treatment of anemia. Roxadustat resulted in a numerically greater mean variation in hemoglobin level from baseline to weeks 23 through 27 compared with epoetin alfa and was statistically non-inferior. In contrast with epoetin alfa, roxadustat raised the transferrin level, maintained the serum iron level, and attenuated reductions in the transferrin saturation. At week 27, the reduction in total cholesterol was greater with roxadustat vs epoetin alfa, as was the reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Roxadustat was related to a mean decrease in hepcidin of 30.2 ng per milliliter, as compared with 2.3 ng per milliliter in the epoetin alfa group. In the roxadustat group, hyperkalemia and upper respiratory infection happened at a higher rate and in the epoetin alfa group, hypertension transpired at a greater rate. Therefore, in Chinese patients undergoing dialysis, oral roxadustat was non-inferior to parenteral epoetin alfa as therapy for anemia.