Dapagliflozin in Heart Failure with Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death among patients with chronic heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less. Whether SGLT2 inhibitors are effective in patients with a higher left ventricular ejection fraction remains less certain. METHODS: We randomly assigned 6263 patients with heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of more than 40% to receive dapagliflozin (at a dose of 10 mg once daily) or matching placebo, in addition to usual therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of worsening heart failure (which was defined as either an unplanned hospitalization for heart failure or an urgent visit for heart failure) or cardiovascular death, as assessed in a time-to-event analysis. RESULTS: Over a median of 2.3 years, the primary outcome occurred in 512 of 3131 patients (16.4%) in the dapagliflozin group and in 610 of 3132 patients (19.5%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73 to 0.92; P<0.001). Worsening heart failure occurred in 368 patients (11.8%) in the dapagliflozin group and in 455 patients (14.5%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.91); cardiovascular death occurred in 231 patients (7.4%) and 261 patients (8.3%), respectively (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.05). Total events and symptom burden were lower in the dapagliflozin group than in the placebo group. Results were similar among patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 60% or more and those with a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 60%, and results were similar in prespecified subgroups, including patients with or without diabetes. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Dapagliflozin reduced the combined risk of worsening heart failure or cardiovascular death among patients with heart failure and a mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. (Funded by AstraZeneca; DELIVER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03619213.).

Could Dapagliflozin Attenuate COVID-19 Progression in High-Risk Patients With or Without Diabetes? Behind DARE-19 Concept.

ABSTRACT: Epidemiological studies indicate that diabetes is the second most common comorbidity in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor, exerts direct cardioprotective and nephroprotective effects. DARE-19 (Dapagliflozin in Respiratory Failure in Patients With COVID-19), an ongoing clinical trial, is designed to investigate the impact of dapagliflozin on COVID-19 progression. This article discusses the potential favorable impact of dapagliflozin on COVID-19 and its complications.

Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) and Diabetes UK joint position statement and recommendations on the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors with insulin for treatment of type 1 diabetes (Updated October 2020).

Dapagliflozin (SGLT-2 inhibitor) and sotagliflozin (SGLT1/2 inhibitor) are two of the drugs of SGLT inhibitor class which have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in people with type 1 diabetes with BMI ≥27 kg/m2 . Dapagliflozin is licensed in the UK for use in the NHS while sotagliflozin may be available in future. These and possibly other SGLT inhibitors may be increasingly used in people with type 1 diabetes as new licences are obtained. These drugs have the potential to improve glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes with the added benefit of weight loss, better control of blood pressure and more time in optimal glucose range. However, SGLT inhibitors are associated with a higher incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis without significant hyperglycaemia. The present ABCD/Diabetes UK joint updated position statement is to guide people with type 1 diabetes and clinicians using these drugs help mitigate this risk and other potential complications. Particularly, caution needs to be exercised in people who are at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis due to low calorie diets, illnesses, injuries, starvation, excessive exercise, excessive alcohol consumption and reduced insulin administration among other precipitating factors for diabetic ketoacidosis.

Effects of dapagliflozin on prevention of major clinical events and recovery in patients with respiratory failure because of COVID-19: Design and rationale for the DARE-19 study.

AIMS: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It can lead to multiorgan failure, including respiratory and cardiovascular decompensation, and kidney injury, with significant associated morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with underlying metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory or kidney disease. Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, has shown significant cardio- and renoprotective benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes (with and without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), heart failure and chronic kidney disease, and may provide similar organ protection in high-risk patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DARE-19 (NCT04350593) is an investigator-initiated, collaborative, international, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study testing the dual hypotheses that dapagliflozin can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular, kidney and/or respiratory complications or all-cause mortality, or improve clinical recovery, in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 but not critically ill on admission. Eligible patients will have ≥1 cardiometabolic risk factor for COVID-19 complications. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to dapagliflozin 10 mg or placebo. Primary efficacy endpoints are time to development of new or worsened organ dysfunction during index hospitalization, or all-cause mortality, and the hierarchical composite endpoint of change in clinical status through day 30 of treatment. Safety of dapagliflozin in individuals with COVID-19 will be assessed. CONCLUSIONS: DARE-19 will evaluate whether dapagliflozin can prevent COVID-19-related complications and all-cause mortality, or improve clinical recovery, and assess the safety profile of dapagliflozin in this patient population. Currently, DARE-19 is the first large randomized controlled trial investigating use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in patients with COVID-19.

Effect of Empagliflozin as an Add-On Therapy on Decongestion and Renal Function in Patients With Diabetes Hospitalized for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Empagliflozin reduces the risk of hospitalization for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We sought to elucidate the effect of empagliflozin as an add-on therapy on decongestion and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes admitted for acute decompensated heart failure. METHODS: The study was terminated early due to COVID-19 pandemic. We enrolled 59 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes admitted for acute decompensated heart failure. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either empagliflozin add-on (n=30) or conventional glucose-lowering therapy (n=29). We performed laboratory tests at baseline and 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after randomization. Percent change in plasma volume between admission and subsequent time points was calculated using the Strauss formula. RESULTS: There were no significant baseline differences in left ventricular ejection fraction and serum NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), hematocrit, or serum creatinine levels between the 2 groups. Seven days after randomization, NT-proBNP level was significantly lower in the empagliflozin group than in the conventional group (P=0.040), and hemoconcentration (≥3% absolute increase in hematocrit) was more frequently observed in the empagliflozin group than in the conventional group (P=0.020). The decrease in percent change in plasma volume between baseline and subsequent time points was significantly larger in the empagliflozin group than in the conventional group 7 days after randomization (P=0.017). The incidence of worsening renal function (an increase in serum creatinine ≥0.3 mg/dL) did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory analysis, empagliflozin achieved effective decongestion without an increased risk of worsening renal function as an add-on therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes with acute decompensated heart failure. Registration: URL: https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm; Unique identifier: UMIN000026315.

Can dapagliflozin have a protective effect against COVID-19 infection? A hypothesis.

It has been reported that frequent occurrence of COVID-19 infection in these patients is associated with low cytosolic pH. During virus infection, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level excessively rises. LDH is a cytosolic enzyme and the serum level increases as the cell break down. When anaerobic conditions develop, lactate formation increases from pyruvate. Cell pH is regulated by very complex mechanisms. When lactate increases in the extracellular area, this symporter carries lactate and H+ ion into the cell, and the intracellular pH quickly becomes acidic. Paradoxically, Na+/H+ exchanger activation takes place. While H+ ion is thrown out of the cell, Na+ and Ca+2 enter the cell. When Na+ and Ca+2 increase in the cell, the cells swell and die. Dapagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor. Dapagliflozin has been reported to reduce lactate levels by various mechanisms. Also, it reduces oxygen consumption in tissues and causes the use of glucose in the aerobic pathway, thereby reducing lactate production. A lactate decrease in the environment reduces the activation of lactate/H+ symporter. Thus, the H ion pumping into the cell by this symporter is reduced and the cytosolic pH is maintained. Dapagliflozin also directly inhibits NHE. Thus, Na+ and Ca+2 flow to the cell are inhibited. Dapagliflozin provides the continuation of the structure and functions of the cells. Dapagliflozin can prevent the severe course of COVID-19 infection by preventing the lowering of cytosolic pH and reducing the viral load.