SGLT2 inhibitors for the composite of cardiorenal outcome in patients with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of specific chronic kidney disease (CKD) trials focusing on the composite of cardiorenal outcome, and assess indirectly the clinical outcome of treatments with three inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) by Bayesian network meta-analysis, we used PubMed and Embase for randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with established CKD. We estimated the composite of cardiorenal outcome of SGLT2 inhibitors versus control by pairwise meta-analysis. We included three trials including four treatment strategies (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, sotagliflozin, and placebo) that met our inclusion criteria. SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the composite of cardiorenal outcome by 27.5% (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.86, I2 = 72%). Results were corroborated in subgroup analysis. SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the composite of cardiorenal outcome in patients with and without diabetes (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60–0.86, and OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.35–0.75, respectively). The composite of cardiorenal outcome showed no significant difference in the comparison among three drugs: canagliflozin and dapagliflozin (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.46–3.16), canagliflozin and sotagliflozin (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.30–2.06), dapagliflozin and sotagliflozin (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.26–1.73). Dapagliflozin was identified as having the lowest risk of the composite of cardiorenal outcome. In conclusion, SGLT2 inhibitors have robust benefits on the composite of cardiorenal outcome in patients with CKD. There was no significant difference in the composite of cardiorenal outcome among treatments with three SGLT2 inhibitors; however, dapagliflozin may be associated with the lowest risk of the composite of cardiorenal outcome.