Efficacy and safety of biologic agents for IgA nephropathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most prevalent primary glomerulonephritis worldwide and a leading cause of chronic kidney failure. There are currently no definitive therapeutic regimens to treat or prevent the progression of IgAN. However, biologic agents offer novel therapeutic approaches that target immunological mechanisms to slow or halt disease progression. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biologic agents in patients with IgA nephropathy. Methods We will systematically search PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and www.clinicaltrials.gov for randomized controlled trials of biologic agents for the treatment of IgA nephropathy. The search period will span from the establishment of each database until October 2023. The quality assessment of included studies will be performed individually using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), and meta-analysis will be conducted using Revman 5.4.1 software. Conclusions The results of this study will provide evidence-based medical evidence for the clinical application of biologic agents in patients with IgA nephropathy. Prospero registration number CRD42023400450.