Initial eGFR Changes with Ertugliflozin and Associations with Clinical Parameters: Analyses from the VERTIS CV Trial

Using data from the ertugliflozin cardiovascular outcomes trial in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (VERTIS CV; NCT01986881), associations between the initial estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) "dip" with eGFR slope, glucosuria/natriuresis-related measures, and safety were investigated.

Patients were categorized into tertiles based on change in eGFR at week 6: >+1.00 mL/min/1.73 m2 (tertile 1), >-5.99 and ≤+1.00 (tertile 2), and ≤-6.00 (tertile 3). eGFR slope after week 6 and week 18 was assessed by tertile. Glucosuria/natriuresis-related measures were also determined. Adverse events (AEs) were analyzed in the acute (baseline-week 6) and chronic periods (week 6-30 days after last dose of trial medication).

In the ertugliflozin group, chronic eGFR slopes (95% CI, mL/min/1.73 m2/year; weeks 6-156) were -0.76 (-1.03, -0.50), -0.29 (-0.51, -0.07), and -0.05 (-0.26, 0.17) in tertiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p value <0.001), and approximately -1.5 mL/min/1.73 m2/year across tertiles in the placebo group (p value = 0.79). At week 18, least squares mean (LSM) changes from baseline in glycated hemoglobin (%) were -0.77, -0.71, and -0.67 in tertiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in the ertugliflozin group; a similar tertile-associated trend was observed for uric acid. At week 18, LSM changes from baseline in hematocrit (%) were 2.07, 2.33, and 2.55 in tertiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in the ertugliflozin group; similar tertile-associated trends were observed for blood pressure. All pinteraction values were <0.0001 for glucosuria- and natriuresis-related measures. Kidney-related AEs were reported more frequently in tertiles 3 and 2 in the chronic period for both placebo- and ertugliflozin-treated groups. In both periods and in all tertiles, incidences of AEs did not differ between placebo- and ertugliflozin-treated groups.

With ertugliflozin, the tertile with the largest initial dip in eGFR had a slower rate of chronic eGFR decline. Initial eGFR changes were associated with changes in both glucosuria- and natriuresis-related measures.