The Efficacy of Empagliflozin on Kidney Functions in Lupus Nephritis Population

Official title

Does The Positive Reno-Protective Effect Of Sodium Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors Extend To Lupus Nephritis Population?

Overview

Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) is a chronic, most probably auto-immune multisystem disease marked by relapsing-remitting course and the formation of a range of autoantibodies. SLE patients present with serious renal (lupus nephritis (LN)), cardiopulmonary, or nervous manifestation. LN occurs in 40%-70% of SLE cases during the first 10 years of disease and is marked by the presence of proteinuria (hallmark). A novel class of medications had been extracted from phlorizin and indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), referred to as Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. They act by decreasing glucose reabsorption in the proximal renal tubules (SGLT2). Previous studies proved that SGLT2 inhibitors resulted in decreased postprandial hyperglycemia, enhanced glycemic control, reduced body weight and blood pressure, and albuminuria in those with T2D. Large placebo-controlled trials such as Empagliflozin-Kidney (EMPA-Kidney) and Dapagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) trial demonstrated the efficacy of empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, respectively, in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) regardless the diabetic cause of CKD, compared to placebo. EMPA-Kidney with median 2.0 years of follow-up reported that empagliflozin (EMPA) significantly (P\<0.001) lowered (13.1%) the risk of progression of kidney disease and death from cardiovascular causes than placebo (16.9%). Together with, DAPA-CKD trial reported that the risk of a composite of a sustained decline in the estimated GFR of at least 50% was significantly (P\<0.001) lower in the DAPA group (9.2%) compared to placebo group (14.5%) over a median of 2.4 years of follow-up. However, such studies excluded lupus nephritis population from clinical trials. Consequently, an experimental study is conducted to test the hypothesis that SGLT2 inhibitor EMPA is superior to placebo in improving proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a group of patients with established LN already receiving the usual standard care and treatment. The trial participants compatabile with the elgibility criteria will be randomly assigned to two groups. One group will take Empagliflozin 25 mg tablet each day along with the standard care therapy. The other group will take a matching placebo besides the usual standard care therapy during the clinical trial period. Study outcomes will be measured three times, one before starting the medical study, the second and third will be 6 and 12 weeks after starting the clinical study, respectively. After that, the statistical siginficance of values between both groups will be reported to test the credibilty of the hypothesis. The study is primarily designed to evaluate the reno-protective effect of EMPA on kidney function, in terms of urinary protein-creatinine ratio (uPCR)and eGFR. Empagliflozin efficacy testing in lupus nephritis population (EMPA-LN) is a prospective, randomized, triple-blinded, parallel-group, placebo controlled phase 4 trial recruiting 66 subjects. A 10% drop-out rate is anticipated based on the clinical opinion of the care provider. The study will be conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki. An ethical approval will be provided from an ethics committee.

Interventions

• Drug Empagliflozin (25 Mg Tab) along with standard medical therapy
  The intervention includes empagliflozin 25 mg tablet once daily, empagliflozin is a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2I) medication that provides a glycemic control, furthermore, it is reported its antiproteinuric effect and improving the kidney function. Each participant randomly assigned to the interventional group will administer one tablet each day provided with the usual standard care therapy within the clinical study period.
• Drug Placebo and standard of care
  The placebo includes a matching tablet similar to empagliflozin tablet in shape, color, and size. Each participant randomly assigned to the Placebo group will administer one tablet each day along with the usual standard medical therapy within the clinical study period

Primary outcome measures

• Urinary protein-creatinine ratio (UPCR) [Time frame: From recruitment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [Time frame: From recruitment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]

Secondary outcome measures (9)

• The tolerance and safety [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to 4 weeks following the end of the treatment (week 12)]
• Fasting plasma glucose (FBG) [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Hemoglobin (Hb) level [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Hematocrit level [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Adverse events and safety [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Partial response [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]
• Body weight [Time frame: From enrollment (week 0) to the end of treatment (week 12)]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Adults (≥ 18 years) with established biopsy-proven LN of active III, IV, overlapping III/IV, or overlapping III/V classes.
• eGFR ≥ 30 ml.min1.1.73m-2,
• Urinary protein creatinine ratio (uPCR) > 1000 mg/g.

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects with serious hypersensitivity (angioedema and/or anaphylaxis) to EMPA.
• eGFR < 30 ml.min-1.1.73m-2.
• uPCR < 1000 mg/g.
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes.
• Aterial fibrillation.
• Hepatic impairment \[defined as alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or total bilirubin >2 times the ULN at the time of enrolment\].
• Any condition outside the renal and cardiovascular study area with a life expectancy of < 6 months based on care provider's clinical judgment.
• Those who enrolled in an experimental study in the previous 6 months.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Quadruple blind

Primary purpose

Treatment

Study locations

Egypt · 1 center

• Beni-Suef university hospital — Banī Suwayf

Publications

• Piperidou A, Sarafidis P, Boutou A, Thomopoulos C, Loutradis C, Alexandrou ME, Tsapas A, Karagiannis A. The effect of SGLT-2 inhibitors on albuminuria and proteinuria in diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens. 2019 Jul;37(7):1334-1343. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002050. PMID 31145707
• McMurray JJV, Wheeler DC, Stefansson BV, Jongs N, Postmus D, Correa-Rotter R, Chertow GM, Greene T, Held C, Hou FF, Mann JFE, Rossing P, Sjostrom CD, Toto RD, Langkilde AM, Heerspink HJL; DAPA-CKD Trial Committees and Investigators. Effect of Dapagliflozin on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease, With and Without Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation. 2021 Feb 2;143(5):438-448. PMID 33186054
• Serenelli M, Bohm M, Inzucchi SE, Kober L, Kosiborod MN, Martinez FA, Ponikowski P, Sabatine MS, Solomon SD, DeMets DL, Bengtsson O, Sjostrand M, Langkilde AM, Anand IS, Chiang CE, Chopra VK, de Boer RA, Diez M, Dukat A, Ge J, Howlett JG, Katova T, Kitakaze M, Ljungman CEA, Verma S, Docherty KF, Jhund PS, McMurray JJV. Effect of dapagliflozin according to baseline systolic blood pressure in the Da PMID 32820334
• Wheeler DC, Stefansson BV, Batiushin M, Bilchenko O, Cherney DZI, Chertow GM, Douthat W, Dwyer JP, Escudero E, Pecoits-Filho R, Furuland H, Gorriz JL, Greene T, Haller H, Hou FF, Kang SW, Isidto R, Khullar D, Mark PB, McMurray JJV, Kashihara N, Nowicki M, Persson F, Correa-Rotter R, Rossing P, Toto RD, Umanath K, Van Bui P, Wittmann I, Lindberg M, Sjostrom CD, Langkilde AM, Heerspink HJL. The dapa PMID 32862232
• McEwan P, Darlington O, McMurray JJV, Jhund PS, Docherty KF, Bohm M, Petrie MC, Bergenheim K, Qin L. Cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin as a treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a multinational health-economic analysis of DAPA-HF. Eur J Heart Fail. 2020 Nov;22(11):2147-2156. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.1978. Epub 2020 Sep 15. PMID 32749733
• Leoncini G, Russo E, Bussalino E, Barnini C, Viazzi F, Pontremoli R. SGLT2is and Renal Protection: From Biological Mechanisms to Real-World Clinical Benefits. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 23;22(9):4441. doi: 10.3390/ijms22094441. PMID 33922865
• Emmett CJ, Stewart GR, Johnson RM, Aswani SP, Chan RL, Jakeman LB. Distribution of radioiodinated recombinant human nerve growth factor in primate brain following intracerebroventricular infusion. Exp Neurol. 1996 Aug;140(2):151-60. doi: 10.1006/exnr.1996.0125. PMID 8690058
• Herrington WG, Savarese G, Haynes R, Marx N, Mellbin L, Lund LH, Dendale P, Seferovic P, Rosano G, Staplin N, Baigent C, Cosentino F. Cardiac, renal, and metabolic effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors: a position paper from the European Society of Cardiology ad-hoc task force on sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. Eur J Heart Fail. 2021 Aug;23(8):1260-1275. doi: 10.1002/ej PMID 34184823

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07700940 · GLIFALN0066

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗