Recent findings from the FLOW trial indicate that semaglutide, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, significantly lowers the risk of major kidney complications in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), regardless of their baseline kidney function.
The study involved 3,533 adults with type 2 diabetes and varying degrees of CKD, with a mean participant age of 67 years. At the start of the trial, the average estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among participants was 47 mL/min/1.73 m², and the median urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) was recorded at 568 mg/g.
Dr. Katherine R. Tuttle, executive director for research at Providence Inland Northwest Health and professor of medicine at the University of Washington, discussed the significance of the trial during a press briefing at the ASN Kidney Week. “The FLOW trial, which published earlier this year, allows us to report outcomes based on the severity of CKD in this patient population. We found that semaglutide significantly reduces the risk of major kidney disease outcomes, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality among individuals with type 2 diabetes and CKD,” she stated.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either subcutaneous semaglutide at a dose of 1 mg once weekly or a placebo in conjunction with standard care. The primary outcome measured was a combination of persistent kidney failure, a decline in eGFR greater than 50%, or deaths related to kidney or cardiovascular issues.
Over a median follow-up period of 3.4 years, results showed that semaglutide was associated with a 24% reduction in the risk of major kidney complications compared to placebo (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.88). Furthermore, the benefits of semaglutide were consistent across all categories of eGFR and uACR, reinforcing its effectiveness regardless of CKD severity.
Dr. Tuttle emphasized the importance of these findings, stating, “From early to later stages of CKD, patients benefit similarly from semaglutide. This consistency of benefit across albuminuria categories is significant. We can assert that semaglutide preserves kidney function and reduces the risk of serious kidney complications, independent of the severity of CKD in individuals with type 2 diabetes.”
These results highlight semaglutide as a promising option for managing kidney health in patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD, potentially transforming treatment approaches in this high-risk population.
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