Effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on type 2 diabetes, but the effects in patients with type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with chronic kidney disease. METHODS: We conducted systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to April 30, 2020 and included randomized controlled trials of SGLT2 inhibitors in adult type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) reporting estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and/or urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) changes and/or acute kidney injury or failure (AKI). Random effects models were adopted to measure the pooled outcomes. RESULTS: Nine studies with 8826 participants were included. SGLT2 inhibitors were not associated with a significant change in eGFR (mean difference (MD), −0.75 ml/minutes per 1.73 m(2), 95% CI −1.61 to 0.10, P = .09) in type 2 diabetic patients with CKD. UACR reduction after SGLT2 inhibitors was significant in type 2 diabetic patients with CKD (MD −24.27 mg/g, 95% CI −44.46 to −4.09, P = .02). SGLT2 inhibitors associated with AKI in the patients were significant (OR 0.80, 95% CI [0.66 to 0.98], P = .03). CONCLUSION: SGLT2 inhibitors had no significant effect on kidney function (eGFR measured) in the pooled analysis. And SGLT2 inhibitors effectively reduced UACR in T2DM with CKD. Besides, SGLT2 inhibitors could reduce the incidence of AKI.