Renin-angiotensin system blockers-SGLT2 inhibitorsmineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in diabetic kidney disease:A tale of the past two decades!

Several pharmacological agents to prevent the progression of diabetic kidney disease(DKD)have been tested in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)in the past two decades.With the exception of renin-angiotensin system blockers that have shown a significant reduction in the progression of DKD in 2001,no other pharmacological agent tested in the past two decades have shown any clinically meaningful result.Recently,the sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor(SGLT-2i),canagliflozin,has shown a significant reduction in the composite of hard renal and cardiovascular(CV)endpoints including progression of end-stage kidney disease in patients with DKD with T2DM at the top of reninangiotensin system blocker use.Another SGLT-2i,dapagliflozin,has also shown a significant reduction in the composite of renal and CV endpoints including death in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD),regardless of T2DM status.Similar positive findings on renal outcomes were recently reported as a top-line result of the empagliflozin trial in patients with CKD regardless of T2DM.However,the full results of this trial have not yet been published.While the use of older steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists(MRAs)such as spironolactone in DKD is associated with a significant reduction in albuminuria outcomes,a novel non-steroidal MRA finerenone has additionally shown a significant reduction in the composite of hard renal and CV endpoints in patients with DKD and T2DM,with reasonably acceptable side effects.

Relook at DPP-4 inhibitors in the era of SGLT-2 inhibitors

SGLT-2 inhibitors(SGLT-2Is)have significantly improved cardio-renal outcomes and are preferred agents in people with cardiovascular diseases,heart failure,and diabetic kidney disease.Similarly,GLP-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)have significantly improved atherosclerotic cardiovascular outcomes.To this end,DPP-4 inhibitors(DPP-4Is)are cardiac-neutral drugs.While long-acting GLP-1RAs have shown a favorable HbA1c lowering compared to DPP-4Is,there is no clinically meaningful HbA1c lowering difference between SGLT-2Is vs DPP-4Is.Moreover,the glucose-lowering potential of SGLT-2Is gets compromised with a progressive decline in renal functions,unlike DPP-4Is.Furthermore,the HbA1c lowering potential of DPP-4Is is favorable in people with T2DM having a modest baseline HbA1c(8.0%-8.5%)compared with SGLT-2Is which lowers HbA1c larger in a background of higher baseline HbA1c(>8.5%-9.0%).These findings suggest that the role of DPP-4Is in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus cannot be completely ignored even in the era of SGLT-2Is.