Summary: | <p><strong>Background and hypothesis</p></strong>
Hyperuricaemia and gout are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to assess
the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibition on uric acid (urate) and
gout in patients with CKD.
<p><strong>
Methods</p></strong>
The EMPA-KIDNEY trial randomised 6609 patients with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration
rate [eGFR] ≥20 and <90 mL/min/1.73m2
) to receive either empagliflozin 10 mg daily or
matching placebo over a median of two years follow-up. Serum uric acid was measured at
randomisation then 2 and 18 months of follow-up and the effects of empagliflozin were
analysed using a pre-specified mixed model repeated measures approach. Participantreported gout events were analysed in Cox regression models (first events) with the
Andersen-Gill extension (total events). A post-hoc composite outcome included new
initiation of uric acid lowering therapy or colchicine. EMPA-KIDNEY primary and kidney
disease progression outcomes were also assessed in subgroups of baseline serum uric acid.
<p><strong>
Results</p></strong>
Baseline mean±SD serum uric acid concentration was 431±114 µmol/L. Allocation to
empagliflozin resulted in a study-average between-group difference in serum uric acid of -
25.6 (95%CI -30.3,-21.0) µmol/L with larger effects in those with higher eGFR (trend P<0.001)
and without diabetes (heterogeneity P<0.001). Compared to placebo, empagliflozin did not
significantly reduce first or total gout events (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.74-1.02 for the 595 first
events, and 0.86, 0.72-1.03 for the 869 total events) with similar hazard ratios for the posthoc composite and across subgroups, including by diabetes and eGFR. The effect of
empagliflozin on the primary outcome and kidney disease progression outcomes were
similar irrespective of baseline level of uric acid.
<p><strong>
Conclusion</p></strong>
SGLT2 inhibition reduces serum uric acid in patients with CKD with larger effects at higher
eGFR and in the absence of diabetes. However, the effect on uric acid is modest and did not
translate into reduced risk of gout in EMPA-KIDNEY.
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