Purpose of review: Emerging data have demonstrated that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors prevent cardiovascular events, especially heart failure-associated endpoints. Cardiovascular outcome trials have also suggested their renoprotective effects. One large clinical trial investigated renal primary endpoints and demonstrated that SGLT2 inhibitors slowed the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This review summarizes clinical trial data on renal outcomes and discusses potential underlying mechanisms.
Recent findings: The EMPA-REG, CANVAS, and DECLARE-TIMI 58 studies revealed that SGLT2 inhibitors reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and concomitantly suggested that these drugs slow the progression of kidney disease in type 2 diabetes. The CREDENCE trial on patients with high-risk type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease demonstrated that canagliflozin treatment reduced the relative risk of a composite outcome, including end-stage kidney disease, serum creatinine doubling, and renal/cardiovascular death, by 30% in these patients. Animal experiments revealed that oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and tubuloglomerular feedback are underlying renoprotective mechanisms behind SGLT2 inhibitors.
Summary: Recent clinical trials have established the renoprotective effects of SGLT2 inhibitors. Further investigations on mechanisms of these renoprotective effects will provide deeper insights and understanding of pathogenetic properties of DKD.