Photo Credit: Antonio_Diaz
In a retrospective study comparing GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, researchers found both classes of drugs demonstrated kidney protection, with estimated meta-numbers needed to treat of 85 for GLP-1 receptor agonists and 104 for SGLT2 inhibitors regarding the composite renal outcome at a median follow-up time of 36 months.
The following is a summary of “Absolute treatment effects of novel antidiabetic drugs on a composite renal outcome: meta-analysis of digitalized individual patient data,” published in the January 2024 issue of Nephrology by Brockmeyer et al.
Researchers started a retrospective study to compare the effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in improving renal outcomes, measured by the number needed to treat for a composite renal outcome.
They digitized individual patient time-to-event information on composite renal outcomes from Kaplan–Meier plots of major cardiovascular outcome trials of GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors vs. placebo using WebPlotDigitizer 4.2. Numbers needed to treat from individual cardiovascular outcome trials were estimated using parametric Weibull regression models and compared to original data (95% CI). Random-effects meta-analysis produced meta-numbers needed to treat with 95% CI.
The results showed 12 cardiovascular outcome trials (three for GLP-1 receptor agonists, nine for SGLT2 inhibitors) involving 90,865 participants. Eight trials were carried out in primary type 2 diabetes populations, two in primary heart failure, and two in a primary chronic kidney disease population. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline varied between 37.3 and 85.3 ml/min/1.73 m2. In meta-analyses, the estimated meta-numbers needed to treat were 85 (95% CI 60; 145) for GLP-1 receptor agonists and 104 (95% CI 81; 147) for SGLT2 inhibitors regarding the composite renal outcome at the overall median follow-up time of 36 months.
They concluded that GLP-1 & SGLT2 inhibitors edged out the placebo in kidney protection, with similar benefits in past trial data.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40620-023-01858-8