Pharmacological interventions for the management of cystinuria: a systematic review

Background: Cystinuria is a rare genetic kidney stone disease, with no cure. Current treatments involve lowering urinary cystine levels and increasing cystine solubility. This systematic review evaluates the available literature regarding non-surgical interventions for cystinuria.

Methods: Key electronic databases were searched for studies that described the clinical management of cystinuria with high diuresis, alkalinizing agents and thiol-based drugs that were published between 2000 and 2022. Observational studies were included if they contained clinical investigation with at least one previous or current episode of cystine stones, urine cystine levels > 250 mg/L and patients being managed with urinary dilution, alkalinizing agents or other pharmacological agents. All included studies were assessed for study design, patient characteristics and outcomes. A qualitative and critical analysis was performed whereby study quality was assessed using Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Two authors performed the quality assessment and excluded the studies with a low MINORS score.

Results: Fourteen studies met the review inclusion and quality criteria. Of the fourteen studies, two reported treatment using alkalinizing agents, six reported treatment using thiol-based drugs, and six reported combination treatment using alkalinizing agents and thiol-based drugs. These studies indicated that first-line therapies, including high fluid intake and urinary alkalinization, increased urine volume to > 3 L/day and urinary pH > 7.0, and were associated with reduced urinary cystine levels and cystine stone formation. Second-line therapy with cystine-binding thiol drugs, such as tiopronin and D-penicillamine, reduced urinary cystine levels, cystine crystal volume and increased cystine solubility, resulting in decreased cystine stone formation and stone recurrence rate. Further, combined intervention with alkalinizing agents and thiol-based drugs synergistically reduced stone recurrence.

Conclusion: Cystinuria treatment may require a combined approach of high diuresis, alkalinization and pharmacological interventions with regular monitoring of urinary pH, cystine levels, cystine crystal volume and solubility. However, poor adherence to treatment is relatively frequent, hence the pressing urgency for improved therapies and treatments.