Baseline, Early Changes, and Residual Albuminuria: Post-hoc Analysis of a Clinical Trial of Dapagliflozin in Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Albuminuria is a strong indicator of kidney and cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We assessed risk associations between albuminuria at baseline and four months after randomization in a placebo-controlled trial of dapagliflozin and kidney endpoints in patients with CKD and albuminuria, with and without type 2 diabetes. METHODS: In this post-hoc analysis of the DAPA-CKD trial, 4304 adult patients with CKD were randomized to dapagliflozin 10mg or placebo as adjunct to maximally tolerated renin-angiotensin-system (RAAS) inhibitors. The primary endpoint was a composite of sustained ≥50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate, kidney failure, or death from kidney or cardiovascular cause. The kidney composite endpoint was similar but excluded cardiovascular death. We assessed associations among baseline albuminuria, early change in albuminuria, (baseline to Month 4), and residual albuminuria (Month 4) with the primary composite and kidney composite endpoints using Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, dapagliflozin reduced urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR; baseline to Month 4) by 36% (95% CI: 30.2%, 42.5%) and 21% (95% CI: 12, 30%) in participants with and without type 2 diabetes, respectively (p-interaction: 0.02). A reduction in UACR from baseline to Month 4 was associated with a lower risk for the primary and kidney composite endpoints with a similar risk gradient for participants with and without type 2 diabetes (p-interaction: 0.10 and 0.19, respectively). Residual albuminuria was associated with a similar risk for the primary and kidney composite endpoints in each treatment arm (p-interaction: 0.19 and 0.18, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Dapagliflozin reduced albuminuria, and the magnitude of albuminuria reduction showed similar proportional reductions in risks for the primary and kidney composite endpoints in participants with and without type 2 diabetes. Patients with residual albuminuria at Month 4 - whether randomized to dapagliflozin or placebo - experienced relatively high rates of CKD progression kidney endpoints, suggesting that therapies added to RAAS inhibitors and dapagliflozin may be required to sustain kidney and cardiovascular health. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NAME AND REGISTRATION NUMBER: A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on Renal Outcomes and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD), NCT03036150.

Verinurad Plus Allopurinol for Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: The AMETHYST Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) level may contribute to endothelial dysfunction; therefore, SUA is an attractive target for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, to the authors' knowledge, no prior randomized clinical trials have evaluated SUA lowering in HFpEF. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the novel urate transporter-1 inhibitor, verinurad, in patients with HFpEF and elevated SUA level. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a phase 2, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (32-week duration) conducted from May 2020 to April 2022. The study took place at 59 centers in 12 countries and included patients 40 years and older with HFpEF and SUA level greater than 6 mg/dL. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to May 2024. Interventions: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1:1 to once-daily, oral verinurad, 12 mg, plus allopurinol, 300 mg; allopurinol, 300 mg, monotherapy; or placebo for 24 weeks after an 8-week titration period. Allopurinol was combined with verinurad to prevent verinurad-induced urate nephropathy, and the allopurinol monotherapy group was included to account for allopurinol effects in the combination therapy group. All patients received oral colchicine, 0.5 to 0.6 mg, daily for the first 12 weeks after randomization. Main Outcomes and Measures: Key end points included changes from baseline to week 32 in peak oxygen uptake (VO2), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire total symptom score (KCCQ-TSS), and SUA level; and safety/tolerability (including adjudicated cardiovascular events). Results: Among 159 randomized patients (53 per treatment group; median [IQR] age, 71 [40-86] years; 103 male [65%]) with median (IQR) N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level of 527 (239-1044) pg/mL and SUA level of 7.5 (6.6-8.4) mg/dL, verinurad plus allopurinol (mean change, -59.6%; 95% CI, -64.4% to -54.2%) lowered SUA level to a greater extent than allopurinol (mean change, -37.6%; 95% CI, -45.3% to -28.9%) or placebo (mean change, 0.8%; 95% CI, -11.8% to 15.2%; P < .001). Changes in peak VO2 (verinurad plus allopurinol, 0.27 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, -0.56 to 1.10 mL/kg/min; allopurinol, -0.17 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, -1.03 to 0.69 mL/kg/min; placebo, 0.37 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, -0.45 to 1.19 mL/kg/min) and KCCQ-TSS (verinurad plus allopurinol, 4.3; 95% CI, 0.3-8.3; allopurinol, 4.5; 95% CI, 0.3-8.6; placebo, 1.2; 95% CI, -3.0 to 5.3) were similar across groups. There were no adverse safety signals. Deaths or cardiovascular events occurred in 3 patients (5.7%) in the verinurad plus allopurinol group, 8 patients (15.1%) in the allopurinol monotherapy group, and 6 patients (11.3%) in the placebo group. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this randomized clinical trial show that despite substantial SUA lowering, verinurad plus allopurinol did not result in a significant improvement in peak VO2 or symptoms compared with allopurinol monotherapy or placebo in HFpEF. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04327024.

The long-term effects of dapagliflozin in chronic kidney disease: a time-to-event analysis.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents a significant clinical and economic burden to healthcare systems worldwide, which increases considerably with progression towards kidney failure. The DAPA-CKD trial demonstrated that patients with or without type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were treated with dapagliflozin experienced slower progression of CKD versus placebo. Understanding the effect of long-term treatment with dapagliflozin on the timing of kidney failure beyond trial follow-up can assist informed decision-making by healthcare providers and patients. The study objective was therefore to extrapolate the outcome-based clinical benefits of treatment with dapagliflozin in patients with CKD via a time-to-event analysis using trial data. METHODS: Patient-level data from the DAPA-CKD trial were used to parameterise a closed cohort-level partitioned survival model that predicted time-to-event for key trial endpoints (kidney failure, all-cause mortality, sustained decline in kidney function, and hospitalisation for heart failure). Data were pooled with a subpopulation of the DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial to create a combined CKD population spanning a range of CKD stages; a parallel survival analysis was conducted in this population. RESULTS: In the DAPA-CKD and pooled CKD populations, treatment with dapagliflozin delayed time to first event for kidney failure, all-cause mortality, sustained decline in kidney function, and hospitalisation for heart failure. Attenuation of CKD progression was predicted to slow the time to kidney failure by 6.6 years (dapagliflozin: 25.2, 95%CI: 19.0-31.5; standard therapy: 18.5, 95%CI: 14.7-23.4) in the DAPA-CKD population. A similar result was observed in the pooled CKD population with an estimated delay of 6.3 years (dapagliflozin: 36.0, 95%CI: 31.9-38.3; standard therapy: 29.6, 95%CI: 25.5-34.7). CONCLUSION: Treatment with dapagliflozin over a lifetime time horizon may considerably delay the mean time to adverse clinical outcomes for patients who would go on to experience them, including those at modest risk of progression.

Mitochondrial metabolites predict adverse cardiovascular events in individuals with diabetes.

Metabolic mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) event (MACE) risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) remain unclear. We hypothesized that circulating metabolites reflecting mitochondrial dysfunction predict incident MACE in T2D. Targeted mass-spectrometry profiling of 60 metabolites was performed on baseline plasma samples from the Trial Evaluating Cardiovascular Outcomes with Sitagliptin (TECOS; discovery cohort) and Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering (EXSCEL; validation cohort) biomarker substudy cohorts. A principal components analysis metabolite factor comprising medium-chain acylcarnitines (MCACs) was associated with MACE in TECOS and validated in EXSCEL, with higher levels associated with higher MACE risk. Meta-analysis showed that long-chain acylcarnitines (LCACs) and dicarboxylacylcarnitines were also associated with MACE. Metabolites remained associated with MACE in multivariate models and favorably changed with exenatide therapy. A third cohort (Cardiac Catheterization Genetics [CATHGEN]) with T2D was assessed to determine whether these metabolites improved discriminative capability of multivariate models for MACE. Nine metabolites (MCACs and LCACs and 1 dicarboxylacylcarnitine) were associated with time to MACE in the CATHGEN cohort. Addition of these metabolites to clinical models minimally improved the discriminative capability for MACE but did significantly down reclassify risk. Thus, metabolites reporting on dysregulated mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation are present in higher levels in individuals with T2D who experience subsequent MACE. These biomarkers may improve CV risk prediction models, be therapy responsive, and highlight emerging risk mechanisms.

Perspectives in weight control in diabetes - SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1-glucagon dual agonism.

Treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and obesity should include glycemic control and sustained weight loss. However, organ protection and/or risk reduction for co-morbidities have also emerged as important goals. Here, we define this combined treatment approach as 'weight loss plus' and describe it as a metabolic concept where prolonged periods of energy consumption is central to outcomes. We suggest there are currently two drug classes - sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-glucagon dual agonists - that can facilitate this 'weight loss plus' approach. We describe evidence supporting that both classes address the underlying pathophysiology of T2D and facilitate normalization of metabolism through increased periods with a catabolic type of energy consumption, which effect other organ systems and may facilitate long-term cardio-renal benefits. These benefits have been demonstrated in trials of SGLT2is, and appear, to some degree, to be independent of glycemia and substantial weight loss. The combined effect of caloric restriction and metabolic correction facilitated by SGLT2i and GLP-1-glucagon dual agonists can be conceptualized as mimicking dietary restriction and physical activity, a phenomenon not previously observed with drugs whose benefits predominantly arise from absolute weight loss, and which may be key to achieving a 'weight loss plus' approach to treatment.

Effects of Dapagliflozin in Chronic Kidney Disease, With and Without Other Cardiovascular Medications: DAPA-CKD Trial.

Background The DAPA-CKD (Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease) trial (NCT03036150) demonstrated that dapagliflozin reduced the risk of kidney and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease and albuminuria with and without type 2 diabetes. We aimed to determine whether baseline cardiovascular medication use modified the dapagliflozin treatment effect. Methods and Results We randomized 4304 adults with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate 25 to 75 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and urinary albumin:creatinine ratio 200 to 5000 mg/g to dapagliflozin 10 mg or placebo once daily. The primary end point was a composite of ≥50% estimated glomerular filtration rate decline, end-stage kidney disease, and kidney or cardiovascular death. Secondary end points included a kidney composite end point (primary composite end point without cardiovascular death), a cardiovascular composite end point (hospitalized heart failure or cardiovascular death), and all-cause mortality. We categorized patients according to baseline cardiovascular medication use/nonuse. Patients were required by protocol to receive a stable (and maximally tolerated) dose of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor. We observed consistent benefits of dapagliflozin relative to placebo, irrespective of baseline use/nonuse of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (98.1%), calcium channel blockers (50.7%), ß-adrenergic antagonists (39.0%), diuretics (43.7%), and antithrombotic (47.4%), and lipid-lowering (15.0%) agents. Use of these drugs in combination with dapagliflozin did not increase the number of serious adverse events. Conclusions The safety profile and efficacy of dapagliflozin on kidney and cardiovascular end points in patients with chronic kidney disease were consistent among patients treated and not treated at baseline with a range of cardiovascular medications. Registration Information clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT03036150.

Albuminuria-lowering effect of dapagliflozin, exenatide, and their combination in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized cross-over clinical study.

AIM: To evaluate the albuminuria-lowering effect of dapagliflozin, exenatide, and the combination of dapagliflozin and exenatide in patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria. METHODS: Participants with type 2 diabetes, an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of more than 30 ml/min/1.73m2 and an urinary albumin: creatinine ratio (UACR) of more than 3.5 mg/mmol and 100 mg/mmol or less completed three 6-week treatment periods, during which dapagliflozin 10 mg/d, exenatide 2 mg/wk and both drugs combined were given in random order. The primary outcome was the percentage change in UACR. Secondary outcomes included blood pressure, HbA1c, body weight, extracellular volume, fractional lithium excretion and renal haemodynamic variables as determined by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: We enrolled 20 patients, who completed 53 treatment periods in total. Mean percentage change in UACR from baseline was -21.9% (95% CI: -34.8% to -6.4%) during dapagliflozin versus -7.7% (95% CI: -23.5% to 11.2%) during exenatide and -26.0% (95% CI: -38.4% to -11.0%) during dapagliflozin-exenatide treatment. No correlation was observed in albuminuria responses between the different treatments. Numerically greater reductions in systolic blood pressure, body weight and eGFR were observed during dapagliflozin-exenatide treatment compared with dapagliflozin or exenatide alone. Renal blood flow and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) did not significantly change with either treatment regimen. However, all but four and two patients in the dapagliflozin and dapagliflozin-exenatide groups, respectively, showed reductions in ERPF. The filtration fraction did not change during treatment with dapagliflozin or exenatide, and decreased during dapagliflozin-exenatide treatment (-1.6% [95% CI: -3.2% to -0.01%]; P = .048). CONCLUSIONS: In participants with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria, treatment with dapagliflozin, exenatide and dapagliflozin-exenatide reduced albuminuria, with a numerically larger reduction in the combined dapagliflozin-exenatide treatment group.

Efficacy of Dapagliflozin by Baseline Diabetes Medications: A Prespecified Analysis From the DAPA-CKD Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the benefits of dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the Dapagliflozin And Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in CKD trial (DAPA-CKD) varied by background glucose-lowering therapy (GLT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We randomized 4,304 adults (including 2,906 with type 2 diabetes) with a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 25-75 mL/min/1.73 m2 and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 200-5,000 mg/g to dapagliflozin 10 mg or placebo once daily (NCT03036150). The primary end point was a composite of ≥50% eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, and kidney or cardiovascular cause of death. Secondary end points included a kidney composite end point (primary composite end point without cardiovascular death), a cardiovascular composite end point (hospitalized heart failure or cardiovascular death), and all-cause mortality. In this prespecified analysis, we investigated the effects of dapagliflozin on these and other outcomes according to baseline GLT class or number of GLTs. RESULTS: The effects of dapagliflozin on the primary composite outcome were consistent across GLT classes and according to the number of GLTs (all interaction P > 0.08). Similarly, we found consistent benefit of dapagliflozin compared with placebo on the secondary end points regardless of background GLT class or number of GLTs. The same applied to the rate of decline in the eGFR rate and safety end points. Dapagliflozin reduced the initiation of insulin therapy during follow-up compared with placebo (hazard ratio 0.72; 95% CI 0.54-0.96; P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Dapagliflozin reduced kidney and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD across baseline GLT class or classes in combination.

Effects of Dapagliflozin on Hospitalizations in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease : A Post Hoc Analysis of DAPA-CKD.

BACKGROUND: Acute hospitalizations are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and often lead to decreases in health-related quality of life and increased care costs. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of dapagliflozin on first hospitalizations and all (first and subsequent) hospitalizations and to explore effects on cause-specific hospitalizations. DESIGN: Post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03036150). SETTING: 386 ambulatory practice sites in 21 countries from 2 February 2017 through 12 June 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 25 to 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 and a urinary albumin-creatinine ratio of 200 to 5000 mg/g, with and without type 2 diabetes. INTERVENTION: Dapagliflozin, 10 mg once daily, or matching placebo (1:1 ratio). MEASUREMENTS: The effects of dapagliflozin on first hospitalizations for any cause, all hospitalizations, and cause-specific (first and recurrent) hospitalizations were determined. The reported system organ class was used to evaluate reasons for admission. Hospitalizations were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models (first hospitalization), the Lin-Wei-Yang-Ying method (all hospitalizations or death), and negative binomial models (cause-specific hospitalizations). RESULTS: The study included 4304 patients (mean age, 61.8 years; 33.1% women). During a median follow-up of 2.4 years, 2072 hospitalizations were reported among 1224 (28.4%) participants. Compared with placebo, dapagliflozin reduced risk for a first hospitalization (hazard ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94]) and all hospitalizations or death (rate ratio, 0.79 [CI, 0.70 to 0.89]). There was no evidence that the effects of dapagliflozin on first and all hospitalizations varied by baseline presence of type 2 diabetes (P for interaction = 0.60 for each). Compared with placebo, dapagliflozin reduced the rate of admissions due to cardiac disorders, renal and urinary disorders, metabolism and nutrition disorders, and neoplasms. LIMITATIONS: This was a post hoc analysis and should be viewed as hypothesis-generating. Hospitalizations and causes were reported by site investigators and were not centrally adjudicated. CONCLUSION: Dapagliflozin reduced the risk for hospitalization for any cause in patients with CKD with and without type 2 diabetes. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: AstraZeneca.

Extrapolated longer-term effects of the DAPA-CKD trial: a modelling analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) trial assessed dapagliflozin versus placebo, in addition to standard therapy, in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and albuminuria, and was terminated prematurely due to overwhelming efficacy. The study objective was to model the long-term clinical outcomes of DAPA-CKD beyond the trial follow-up. METHODS: A Markov model extrapolated event incidence per 1000 patients and CKD progression rates for patients receiving dapagliflozin or placebo over a 10-year time horizon. We derived treatment-specific CKD stage transition matrices using DAPA-CKD trial data. We extrapolated relevant efficacy endpoints using parametric survival equations for all-cause mortality and generalized estimating equations for recurrent events. RESULTS: When extrapolated over a 10-year period, patients randomized to dapagliflozin spent more time in CKD stages 1-3 and less in stages 4-5 than placebo [0.65 (95% CrI 0.41, 0.90) and -0.23 (95% CrI -0.45, 0.00) years per patient, respectively]. Dapagliflozin prevented an estimated 83 deaths and 51 patients initiating kidney replacement therapy per 1000 patients over 10 years. Predicted rates of hospitalized heart failure and abrupt declines in kidney function were reduced (19 and 39 estimated events per 1000 patients, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adding dapagliflozin to standard therapeutic management of CKD is expected to have long-term cardiorenal benefit beyond what has been demonstrated in the DAPA-CKD trial, with patients predicted to live longer with fewer complications.

Correlates and Consequences of an Acute Change in eGFR in Response to the SGLT2 Inhibitor Dapagliflozin in Patients with CKD.

BACKGROUND: Dapagliflozin reduces kidney failure risk in patients with CKD but can result in a reversible acute reduction in eGFR upon treatment initiation. Determinants of this eGFR reduction and its associations with efficacy and safety outcomes are unknown. METHODS: The DAPA-CKD trial randomized 4304 adults with CKD and albuminuria to once-daily dapagliflozin 10 mg or placebo, added to standard care. We prespecified an analysis comparing the effects of dapagliflozin among patients who experienced relative reductions in eGFR (>10% or >0%-10%) or an increase in eGFR from baseline to 2 weeks and assessed long-term efficacy and safety thereafter. RESULTS: A total of 4157 (96.6%) patients had eGFR data available at baseline and at 2 weeks. In the dapagliflozin and placebo groups, 1026 (49.4%) and 494 (23.7%), respectively, experienced an acute reduction in eGFR >10%. Among patients receiving dapagliflozin, those with an acute reduction in eGFR >10% experienced a long-term eGFR decline of -1.58 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year compared with -2.44 and -2.48 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year among those experiencing a less pronounced reduction or increase in eGFR, respectively (P-interaction=0.05). In the placebo group, long-term eGFR decline was -3.27, -3.84, and -3.77 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year for acute eGFR reduction subgroups of >10%, >0%-10%, or increase in eGFR (P-interaction=0.48). Rates of serious adverse events and adverse events of special interest in patients randomized to dapagliflozin were unrelated to the acute eGFR change. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with CKD and albuminuria treated with dapagliflozin, an acute reduction in eGFR (from baseline to 2 weeks) is not associated with higher rates of CKD progression.Clinical Trial registration number: A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on Renal Outcomes and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (Dapa-CKD) NCT03036150.

Once-Weekly Exenatide in Youth With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Approved treatments for type 2 diabetes in pediatric patients include metformin, liraglutide, and insulin. However, approximately one-half of the youth fail metformin monotherapy within 1 year, insulin therapy is associated with challenges, and liraglutide requires daily injections. Consequently, the efficacy and safety of once-weekly injections of exenatide for the treatment of youth with type 2 diabetes was evaluated. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants (aged 10 to <18 years) were randomized (5:2) to once-weekly exenatide 2 mg or placebo, respectively. The primary efficacy end point was change in glycated hemoglobin from baseline to week 24. Secondary efficacy end points were also evaluated, and the frequency of adverse events (AEs) was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 83 participants were randomized (exenatide, 59; placebo, 24) and 72 completed 24-week treatment (exenatide, 49; placebo, 23). At 24 weeks, the least squares mean change in glycated hemoglobin was -0.36% for the exenatide and +0.49% for the placebo groups (between-group difference, -0.85%; 95% CI -1.51, -0.19; P = 0.012). Nonsignificant least squares mean differences from baseline to 24 weeks favoring exenatide were observed: fasting glucose -21.6 mg/dL (-49.0, 5.7; P = 0.119), systolic blood pressure -2.8 mmHg (-8.0, 2.4; P = 0.284), and body weight -1.22 kg (-3.59, 1.15; P = 0.307). AEs occurred in 36 (61.0%) and 17 (73.9%) participants in the exenatide and placebo groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In youth with type 2 diabetes suboptimally controlled with current treatments, once-weekly exenatide reduced glycated hemoglobin at 24 weeks and was well tolerated.

Efficacy and Safety of Dapagliflozin in Patients With CKD Across Major Geographic Regions.

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in the Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) trial (NCT03036150) by geographic region. Methods: Adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with or without type 2 diabetes, with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 25 to 75 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) 200 to 5000 mg/g were randomized to dapagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or placebo. The primary end point was a composite of a sustained decline in eGFR of ≥50%, end-stage kidney disease or death from kidney or cardiovascular causes. We categorized recruiting countries into 4 broad global regions: Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Of 4304 randomized patients, 1346 (31.3%) were from Asia, 1233 (28.6%) from Europe, 912 (21.2%) from Latin America, and 813 (18.9%) from North America. Results: The relative risk of the primary composite end point was lower in patients randomized to dapagliflozin (relative to placebo) in all regions, with hazard ratios (95% CI) of 0.70 (0.48-1.00), 0.60 (0.43-0.85), 0.61 (0.43-0.86), and 0.51 (0.34-0.76) among patients from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, respectively. There was no effect modification by region (interaction P = 0.77). Occurrence of serious adverse events (SAEs) was lower among patients randomized to dapagliflozin versus placebo (21.9% vs. 26.8%, 34.1% vs. 38.6%, 29.8% vs. 31.5%, and 34.9% vs. 41.0% in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, respectively). Conclusion: Dapagliflozin reduced kidney and cardiovascular events and prolonged survival in patients with CKD, with and without type 2 diabetes, with no apparent effect modification by geographic region.

The Kidney Protective Effects of the Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor, Dapagliflozin, Are Present in Patients With CKD Treated With Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists.

Introduction: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We performed an analysis of the Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) trial by baseline conventional MRA (spironolactone and eplerenone) prescription. Methods: Participants with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 25-75 ml/min per 1.73 m2; urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio 200-500 mg/g), with or without type 2 diabetes, were randomized 1:1 to dapagliflozin 10 mg or placebo, once daily. The primary outcome was a composite of sustained ≥50% eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, or kidney or cardiovascular (CV) death. A prespecified kidney-specific secondary outcome was as the primary outcome but without CV death. Hyperkalemia (serum potassium ≥6.0 mmol/l) was an exploratory end point. Time-to-event analyses (proportional hazards [Cox] regression) assessed dapagliflozin versus placebo in patient subgroups defined by baseline conventional MRA use. Results: A total of 229 of 4304 DAPA-CKD participants (5.3%) were receiving conventional MRAs at baseline (dapagliflozin n = 109, placebo n = 120). The effect of dapagliflozin on the primary outcome was consistent in participants prescribed (hazard ratio [HR] 0.76, 95% CI 0.40-1.47) and not prescribed (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.50-0.72, P-interaction = 0.59) MRAs. This consistency was maintained for the kidney-specific outcome. The effect of dapagliflozin on hyperkalemia (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.70-1.09) was consistent among those prescribed (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.41-2.20) and not prescribed (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.69-1.10, P-interaction = 0.96) MRAs. Adverse events (AEs) leading to discontinuation and serious AEs were similar between treatment groups, regardless of baseline MRA prescription. Conclusion: Dapagliflozin was similarly safe and efficacious in reducing major adverse kidney outcomes in participants with CKD who were or were not prescribed MRAs at baseline.

Quételet (body mass) index and effects of dapagliflozin in chronic kidney disease.

AIM: To assess the effects of dapagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and albuminuria, with and without type 2 diabetes, stratified by the Quételet (body mass) index (BMI). METHODS: We randomized 4304 adult patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 25-75 ml/min/1.73m2 and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 200-5000 mg/g to dapagliflozin 10 mg/day or placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of sustained decline in eGFR of 50% or more, kidney failure, or death from kidney or cardiovascular causes. Secondary outcomes included kidney composite endpoint (primary composite endpoint without cardiovascular death), cardiovascular composite endpoint (hospitalized heart failure/ cardiovascular death), and all-cause mortality. We categorized participants according to World Health Organization BMI criteria: lean/ideal (<25 kg/m2 ), overweight (25-< 30 kg/m2 ), grade 1 obesity (30-<35 kg/m2 ), and grade 2/3 obesity (≥35 kg/m2 ). RESULTS: Of 4296 (99.8%) randomized participants, 888 (20.7%), 1491 (34.7%), 1136 (26.4%), and 781 (18.2%) were categorized as lean/ideal, overweight, grade 1 obesity, and grade 2/3 obesity, respectively. Median follow-up was 2.4 years. Benefits of dapagliflozin were observed independent of baseline BMI for primary and secondary endpoints. Hazard ratios (95% CI) for dapagliflozin versus placebo for the primary composite endpoint were 0.60 (0.43, 0.85), 0.55 (0.40, 0.75), 0.71 (0.49, 1.04), and 0.57 (0.37, 0.87) among participants in the lean/ideal, overweight, grade 1 obesity, and grade 2/3 obesity groups (interaction P = .72). CONCLUSION: Among participants with CKD and albuminuria, with or without type 2 diabetes, kidney and cardiovascular benefits of dapagliflozin were evident and consistent across the BMI spectrum.

A pre-specified analysis of the Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) randomized controlled trial on the incidence of abrupt declines in kidney function.

This pre-specified analysis of DAPA-CKD assessed the impact of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition on abrupt declines in kidney function in high-risk patients based on having chronic kidney disease (CKD) and substantial albuminuria. DAPA-CKD was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that had a median follow-up of 2.4 years. Adults with CKD (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio 200-5000 mg/g and estimated glomerular filtration rate 25-75 mL/min/1.73m2) were randomized to dapagliflozin 10 mg/day matched to placebo (2152 individuals each). An abrupt decline in kidney function was defined as a pre-specified endpoint of doubling of serum creatinine between two subsequent study visits. We also assessed a post-hoc analysis of investigator-reported acute kidney injury-related serious adverse events. Doubling of serum creatinine between two subsequent visits (median time-interval 100 days) occurred in 63 (2.9%) and 91 (4.2%) participants in the dapagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively (hazard ratio 0.68 [95% confidence interval 0.49, 0.94]). Accounting for the competing risk of mortality did not alter our findings. There was no heterogeneity in the effect of dapagliflozin on abrupt declines in kidney function based on baseline subgroups. Acute kidney injury-related serious adverse events were not significantly different and occurred in 52 (2.5%) and 69 (3.2%) participants in the dapagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively (0.77 [0.54, 1.10]). Thus, in patients with CKD and substantial albuminuria, dapagliflozin reduced the risk of abrupt declines in kidney function.

Safety and efficacy of dapagliflozin in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: a prespecified analysis of the dapagliflozin and prevention of adverse outcomes in chronic kidney disease (DAPA-CKD) trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade and immunosuppressive treatment, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) often progresses to kidney failure. The objective of this prespecified analysis of the dapagliflozin and prevention of adverse outcomes in chronic kidney disease trial (DAPA-CKD) was to assess efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in a small subgroup of participants with FSGS confirmed by kidney biopsy. METHODS: In DAPA-CKD, patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 25-75 mL/min/1.73 m2 and urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR) 200-5000 mg/g (22.6-565 mg/mol) were randomized to dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily or placebo as an adjunct to standard care and followed for median 2.4 years. The primary composite endpoint was sustained eGFR decline ≥50%, end-stage kidney disease, or kidney or cardiovascular death. The endpoint of interest for this analysis was eGFR slope (acute effects from baseline to Week 2 and chronic effects from Week 2 to end of treatment). RESULTS: Of 104 participants with biopsy-confirmed FSGS, 45 were randomized to dapagliflozin and 59 to placebo. Mean (standard deviation) age was 54.0 (14.3) years, mean eGFR 41.9 (11.5) mL/min/1.73 m2 and median (interquartile range) UACR 1248 (749-2211) mg/g. The primary outcome occurred in 4 (8.9%) and 7 (11.9%) participants randomized to dapagliflozin and placebo, respectively [hazard ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.17, 2.17]. Dapagliflozin led to a larger acute reduction (standard error) in eGFR compared with placebo (-4.5, 95% CI -5.9 to -3.1 versus -0.9, -2.1 to 0.4 mL/min/1.73 m2/2 weeks). Thereafter, mean rates of chronic eGFR decline with dapagliflozin and placebo were -1.9 (-3.0, -0.9) and -4.0 (-4.9, -3.0) mL/min/1.73 m2/year, respectively (difference 2.0, 95% CI 0.6 to 3.5, mL/min/1.73 m2/year). Adverse events leading to study drug discontinuation were similar in both groups; there were fewer serious adverse events with dapagliflozin. CONCLUSIONS: Among DAPA-CKD participants with FSGS, dapagliflozin reduced the rate of chronic decline of eGFR compared with placebo, although this difference was not statistically significant.

Effect of dapagliflozin on urinary albumin excretion in patients with chronic kidney disease with and without type 2 diabetes: a prespecified analysis from the DAPA-CKD trial.

BACKGROUND: Reductions in albuminuria are associated with a subsequent lower risk of kidney failure in patients with chronic kidney disease. The SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin significantly reduced albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and normal or near-normal kidney function. Whether this effect persists in patients with chronic kidney disease with and without type 2 diabetes is unknown. We assessed the effects of dapagliflozin on albuminuria in patients with chronic kidney disease with and without type 2 diabetes in the dapagliflozin and prevention of adverse outcomes in chronic kidney disease (DAPA-CKD) trial. METHODS: DAPA-CKD was a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial done at 386 sites in 21 countries. Patients were eligible for the trial if they had chronic kidney disease, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 25 mL/min per 1·73 m2 and 75 mL/min per 1·73 m2 and a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) between 200 mg/g and 5000 mg/g (22·6 to 565·6 mg/mmol). Participants were randomly assigned to dapagliflozin 10 mg (AstraZeneca; Gothenburg, Sweden) once daily or matching placebo, in accordance with the sequestered, fixed randomisation schedule, using balanced blocks to ensure an approximate 1:1 ratio. Change in albuminuria was a pre-specified exploratory outcome of DAPA-CKD. Regression in UACR stage, defined as a transition from macroalbuminuria (≥300 mg/g) to microalbuminuria or normoalbuminuria (<300 mg/g), and progression in UACR stage, defined as a transition from less than 3000 mg/g to 3000 mg/g or greater, were additional discrete endpoints. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03036150. FINDINGS: Between Feb 2, 2017, and April 3, 2020, 4304 patients were recruited and randomly assigned to either dapagliflozin (n=2152) or placebo (n=2152). Median UACR was 949 mg/g (IQR 477 to 1885). Overall, compared with placebo, dapagliflozin reduced geometric mean UACR by 29·3% (95% CI -33·1 to -25·2; p<0·0001); relative to placebo, treatment with dapagliflozin resulted in a geometric mean percentage change of -35·1% (95% CI -39·4 to -30·6; p<0·0001) in patients with type 2 diabetes and -14·8% (-22·9 to -5·9; p=0·0016) in patients without type 2 diabetes over the follow-up visits (pinteraction<0·0001) Among 3860 patients with UACR of 300 mg/g or greater at baseline, dapagliflozin increased the likelihood of regression in UACR stage (hazard ratio 1·81, 95% CI 1·60 to 2·05). Among 3820 patients with UACR less than 3000 mg/g at baseline, dapagliflozin decreased the risk of progression in UACR stage (0·41, 0·32 to 0·52). Larger reductions in UACR at day 14 during dapagliflozin treatment were significantly associated with attenuated eGFR decline during subsequent follow-up (ß per log unit UACR change -3·06, 95% CI -5·20 to -0·90; p=0·0056). INTERPRETATION: In patients with chronic kidney disease with and without type 2 diabetes, dapagliflozin significantly reduced albuminuria, with a larger relative reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes. The similar effects of dapagliflozin on clinical outcomes in patients with or without type 2 diabetes, but different effects on UACR, suggest that part of the protective effect of dapagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease might be mediated through pathways unrelated to reduction in albuminuria. FUNDING: AstraZeneca.