Dulaglutide and Kidney Function-Related Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes: A REWIND Post Hoc Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Dulaglutide (DU) 1.5 mg was associated with improved composite renal outcomes that included new-onset macroalbuminuria in people with type 2 diabetes with previous cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk factors in the REWIND (Researching cardiovascular Events with a Weekly INcretin in Diabetes) trial. This exploratory post hoc analysis evaluated kidney function-related outcomes, excluding the new-onset macroalbuminuria component, among the REWIND participants.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Intent-to-treat analyses were performed on REWIND participants (n = 4,949 DU, n = 4,952 placebo). Time to occurrence of a composite kidney function-related outcome (≥40% sustained decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], per the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration 2009 equation, end-stage renal disease, or renal-related death), and mean annual eGFR slope were examined. Analyses were conducted overall and within subgroups defined by baseline urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR <30 or ≥30 mg/g) and baseline eGFR (<60 or ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2).

RESULTS

The post hoc composite kidney function-related outcome occurred less frequently among participants assigned to DU than placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.62-0.92, P = 0.004), with no evidence of a differential DU treatment effect by UACR or eGFR subgroup. A ≥40% sustained eGFR decline occurred less frequently among participants assigned to DU than placebo (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58-0.88, P = 0.002). The mean annual decline in eGFR slope was significantly smaller for participants assigned to DU than placebo (-1.37 vs. -1.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/year, P < 0.001); results were similar for all subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

The estimated 25% reduced hazard of a kidney function-related outcome among participants assigned to DU highlights its potential for delaying or slowing the development of diabetic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.

A novel kidney disease index reflecting both the albumin-to-creatinine ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate, predicted cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in type 2 diabetes

Background

The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) are risk factors for diabetes-related outcomes. A composite that captures information from both may provide a simpler way of assessing risk.

Methods

9115 of 9901 Researching Cardiovascular Events with a Weekly Incretin in Diabetes (REWIND) participants with both an ACR and eGFR at baseline were included in this post hoc epidemiologic analysis. The hazard of higher baseline levels of 1/eGFR and natural log transformed ACR (calculated as ln [ACR × 100] to eliminate negative values) and their interaction for incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), kidney outcomes, and deaths was estimated. The hazard of the geometric mean of these two baseline measures (the kidney disease index or KDI) was also assessed.

Results

A non-linear relationship was observed between 1/eGFR and all three outcomes, and between ln [ACR × 100] and the kidney outcome. There was also a negative interaction between these two risk factors with respect to MACE and death. Conversely, a linear relationship was noted between the KDI and all three outcomes. People in the highest KDI fifth experienced the highest incidence of MACE, death, and the kidney outcome (4.43, 4.56, and 5.55/100 person-years respectively). C statistics for the KDI were similar to those for eGFR and albuminuria.

Conclusions

The KDI combines the baseline eGFR and ACR into a novel composite risk factor that has a simple linear relationship with incident serious outcomes in people with diabetes and additional CV risk factors.

Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT01394952.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12933-022-01594-6.