EMPA-REG OUTCOME: The Nephrologist's Point of View

There is increasing evidence that sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have renoprotective effects, as demonstrated by the renal analyses from clinical trials including Empagliflozin Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients-Removing Excess Glucose (EMPA-REG OUTCOME), CANagliflozin Treatment And Trial Analysis versus SUlphonylurea (CANTATA-SU), and the dapagliflozin renal study. The potential mechanisms responsible are likely multifactorial, and direct renovascular and hemodynamic effects are postulated to play a central role. This report reviews the renal outcomes data from key SGLT2 inhibitor clinical trials, discusses the hypotheses for SGLT2 inhibitor-associated renoprotection, and considers the main renal safety issues associated with SGLT2 inhibitor treatment.