Background Recent cardiovascular outcome trials have shown that sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors slow the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk. Whether these benefits extend to CKD patients without type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease is unknown. The Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in CKD (DAPA-CKD) trial (NCT03036150) will assess the effect of the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin on renal and cardiovascular events in a broad range of patients with CKD with and without diabetes. Methods DAPA-CKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, trial in which ∼4300 patients with CKD Stages 2–4 and elevated urinary albumin excretion will be enrolled. The vast majority will be receiving a maximum tolerated dose of a renin–angiotensin system inhibitor at enrolment. Results After a screening assessment, eligible patients with a urinary albumin:creatinine ratio ≥200 mg/g and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 25 and 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 are randomly assigned to placebo or dapagliflozin 10 mg/day. Enrolment is monitored to ensure that at least 30% of patients do not have diabetes and that no more than 10% have an eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The primary endpoint is a composite of a sustained decline in eGFR of ≥50%, end-stage renal disease, renal death or cardiovascular death. The trial will conclude when 681 primary renal events have occurred, providing 90% power to detect a 22% relative risk reduction (α level of 0.05). Conclusion DAPA-CKD will determine whether the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin, added to guideline-recommended therapies, safely reduces the rate of renal and cardiovascular events in patients across multiple CKD stages with and without diabetes.

Normalization of haemoglobin improved QoL in the subgroup of dialysis patients, appears to be safe and can be considered in many patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background The Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD; NCT03036150) trial was designed to assess the effect of the sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin on kidney and cardiovascular events in participants with CKD with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). This analysis reports the baseline characteristics of those recruited, comparing them with those enrolled in other trials. Methods In DAPA-CKD, 4304 participants with a urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥200 mg/g and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 25 and 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 were randomized to dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily or placebo. Mean eGFR was 43.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 and median UACR was 949 mg/g (108 mg/mmol). Results Overall, 2906 participants (68%) had a diagnosis of T2D and of these, 396 had CKD ascribed to a cause other than diabetes. The most common causes of CKD after diabetes (n = 2510) were ischaemic/hypertensive nephropathy (n = 687) and chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 695), of which immunoglobulin A nephropathy (n = 270) was the most common. A total of 4174 participants (97%) were receiving an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, 1882 (43.7%) diuretics, 229 (5.3%) mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and 122 (2.8%) glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists. In contrast to the Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes with Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation (CREDENCE), the DAPA-CKD trial enrolled participants with CKD due to diabetes and to causes other than diabetes. The mean eGFR of participants in the DAPA-CKD trial was 13.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 lower than in CREDENCE, similar to that in the Finerenone in Reducing Kidney Failure and Disease Progression in DKD (FIDELIO-DKD) trial and the Study Of diabetic Nephropathy with AtRasentan (SONAR). Conclusions Participants with a wide range of underlying kidney diseases receiving renin–angiotensin system blocking therapy have been enrolled in the DAPA-CKD trial. The trial will examine the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in participants with CKD Stages 2–4 and increased albuminuria, with and without T2D.

BackgroundDosing of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) may be modified to manage associated hyperkalemia risk; however, this approach could adversely affect cardiorenal outcomes. This study investigated real‐world associations of RAASi dose, hyperkalemia, and adverse clinical outcomes in a large cohort of UK cardiorenal patients.Methods and ResultsThis observational study included RAASi‐prescribed patients with new‐onset chronic kidney disease (n=100 572) or heart failure (n=13 113) first recorded between January 2006 and December 2015 in Clinical Practice Research Datalink and linked Hospital Episode Statistics databases. Odds ratios associating hyperkalemia and RAASi dose modification were estimated using logistic generalized estimating equations with normal (<5.0 mmol/L) serum potassium level as the reference category. Patients with serum potassium ≥5.0 mmol/L had higher risk of RAASi down‐titration (adjusted odds ratios, chronic kidney disease: 1.79 [95% CI, 1.64–1.96]; heart failure: 1.33 [95% CI, 1.08–1.62]). Poisson models were used to estimate adjusted incident rate ratios of adverse outcomes based on total RAASi exposure (<50% and ≥50% of the guideline‐recommended RAASi dose). Incidence of major adverse cardiac events and mortality was consistently higher in the lower dose group (adjusted incident rate ratios: chronic kidney disease: 5.60 [95% CI, 5.29–5.93] for mortality and 1.60 [95% CI, 1.55–1.66] for nonfatal major adverse cardiac events; heart failure: 7.34 [95% CI, 6.35–8.48] for mortality and 1.85 [95% CI, 1.71–1.99] for major adverse cardiac events).ConclusionsThe results of this real‐world analysis highlight the potential negative impact of suboptimal RAASi dosing and the need for strategies that allow patients to be maintained on appropriate therapy, avoiding RAASi dose modification or discontinuation.

Aims At present, the clinical burden of hypokalaemia and hyperkalaemia among European heart failure patients, and relationships between serum potassium and adverse clinical outcomes in this population, is not well characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between mortality, major adverse cardiac events, and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) discontinuation across serum potassium levels, in a UK cohort of incident heart failure patients. Methods and results This was a retrospective observational cohort study of newly diagnosed heart failure patients listed in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, with a first record of heart failure (index date) between 2006 and 2015. Hypokalaemia and hyperkalaemia episodes were defined as the number of serum potassium measurements exceeding each threshold (<3.5, ≥5.0, ≥5.5, and ≥6.0 mmol/L), without such a measurement in the preceding 7 days. Risk equations developed using Poisson generalized estimating equations were utilized to estimate adjusted incident rate ratios (IRRs) relating serum potassium and clinical outcomes (death, major adverse cardiac event, and RAASi discontinuation). Among 21,334 eligible heart failure patients, 1969 (9.2%), 7648 (35.9%), 2725 (12.8%), and 763 (3.6%) experienced episodes of serum potassium <3.5, ≥5.0, ≥5.5, and ≥6.0 mmol/L, respectively. The adjusted IRRs for mortality exhibited a U‐shaped association pattern with serum potassium. Relative to the reference category (4.5 to <5.0 mmol/L), adjusted IRRs for mortality were estimated as 1.98 (95% confidence interval: 1.69–2.33), 1.23 (1.12–1.36), 1.35 (1.14–1.60), and 3.02 (2.28–4.02), for patients with serum potassium <3.5, ≥5.0 to <5.5, ≥5.5 to <6.0, and ≥6.0 mmol/L, respectively. The adjusted IRRs for major adverse cardiac events demonstrated a non‐statistically significant relationship with serum potassium. Discontinuation of RAASi therapy exhibited a J‐shaped trend in association with serum potassium. Compared with the reference category (4.5 to <5.0 mmol/L), adjusted IRRs were estimated as 1.07 (0.89–1.28) in patients with serum potassium <3.5 mmol/L, increasing to 1.32 (1.14–1.53) and 2.19 (1.63–2.95) among those with serum potassium ≥5.5 to <6.0 and ≥6.0 mmol/L, respectively. Conclusions In UK patients with new onset heart failure, both hypokalaemia and hyperkalaemia were associated with increased mortality risk, and hyperkalaemia was associated with increased likelihood of RAASi discontinuation. Our results demonstrate the potential importance of serum potassium monitoring for heart failure outcomes and management.