Dapagliflozin in Patients at Risk of AKI Admitted to Intensive Care: A Pilot, Single-Centre, Efficacy, Feasibility, Safety, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial

• Applicant: Dr. Jonathan Nübel
• Subject Area: Nephrology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 544949877

Over the last few years, evidence has emerged that Dapagliflozin, a blood sugar lowering drug that can be administered as a tablet, does not just return blood sugar levels toward normal with minimal or no side effects but also protects the kidney form injury. Moreover, this drug has been shown to slow the progression of heart and kidney complications in patients with diabetes and heart failure. This makes treatment with Dapagliflozin potentially desirable in patients at risk of acute kidney injury who are admitted to the intensive care unit. However, the effect of Dapagliflozin in such patients, although logical, has not yet been studied. Therefore, we plan to conduct a clinical research project in the form of a randomised controlled trial. Our study aims to investigate whether administering oral Dapagliflozin (10mg per day for up to 28 days while in ICU), in comparison to a placebo, reduces the severity and risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and maintains blood glucose levels while decreasing the usage of insulin. We intend to enrol 40 patients at high risk of developing AKI. If our findings demonstrate safety and potential benefit, they will allow this treatment to be studied in larger groups and potentially become a new effective treatment for these patients.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: Australia
• Host: Dr. Clive May