Patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular events who received empagliflozin, as compared with placebo, had a lower rate of the primary composite cardiovascular outcome and of death from any cause when the study drug was added to standard care. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly; EMPA-REG OUTCOME ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01131676.).

2, n=13) at baseline. Renal function and circulating levels of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system mediators and NO were measured under clamped euglycemic (4-6 mmol/l) and hyperglycemic (9-11 mmol/l) conditions at baseline and end of treatment. During clamped euglycemia, hyperfiltration was attenuated by −33 ml/min/1.73m 2 with empagliflozin in T1D-H, (GFR 172±23-139±25 ml/min/1.73 m 2 , P<0.01). This effect was accompanied by declines in plasma NO and effective renal plasma flow and an increase in renal vascular resistance (all P<0.01). Similar significant effects on GFR and renal function parameters were observed during clamped hyperglycemia. In T1D-N, GFR, other renal function parameters, and plasma NO were not altered by empagliflozin. Empagliflozin reduced hemoglobin A1c significantly in both groups, despite lower insulin doses in each group (P≤0.04). This distal tubular condition is sensed as a low effective circulating volume stimulus at the level of the juxtaglomerular apparatus, causing an afferent renal vasodilatory response ( Figure 1B). The consequence of this altered TGF results in supranormal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values into the hyperfiltration range. Targeting TGF in renal hyperfiltration has shown promising results in experimental animal models by using phlorizin, a nonspecific inhibitor of the renal tubular glucose transporters SGlT1 and SGlT2. 13,14 The clinical relevance of these findings, however, could not be conclusively studied in humans, because of the poor tolerability of phlorizin resulting from its low selectivity for SGlT2, SGlT1 inhibition-related gastrointestinal side effects and very limited oral bioavailability. Conclusions-In14 Subsequent studies with selective SGlT2 inhibitors in animals have also shown similar significant effects on renal hyperfiltration. 15 More recently, several highly selective SGlT2 inhibitors have been developed for use in clinical trials in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). 16,17 These compounds generally do not affect SGlT1 at clinical doses and have pharmacological features that allow once daily oral dosing. In T2D, this class of drugs is well-tolerated and has consistently improved glycemic control, along with weight loss, and antihypertensive effects. 17,18 Available evidence for SGlT2 inhibitors in T1D is however limited, and is mainly derived from experimental animal models. Only 1 clinical pilot study has been conducted, which demonstrated that a single dose of remogliflozin improved postprandial glucose profiles. 19 Based on previous findings with phlorizin and other SGlT2 inhibitors in animals, the concept of altering renal hyperfiltration by blocking renal glucose absorption with SGlT2 inhibitors is intriguing, because reducing this surrogate marker of intraglomerular pressure is renal protective in experimental models of diabetes mellitus. 13,20,21 However, potential renal hemodynamic effects of these drugs in subjects with diabetes mellitus, including effects on renal hyperfiltration, remain unknown. Accordingly, the p...

Background. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors lower glycemia by enhancing urinary glucose excretion. The physiologic response to pharmacologically induced acute or chronic glycosuria has not been investigated in human diabetes. Methods.We evaluated 66 patients with type 2 diabetes (62 ± 7 years, BMI = 31.6 ± 4.6 kg/m 2 , HbA 1c = 55 ± 8 mmol/mol, mean ± SD) at baseline, after a single dose, and following 4-week treatment with empagliflozin (25 mg). At each time point, patients received a mixed meal coupled with dual-tracer glucose administration and indirect calorimetry.

AimsWe previously reported that in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME® trial, empagliflozin added to standard of care reduced the risk of 3-point major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiovascular and all-cause death, and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk. We have now further investigated heart failure outcomes in all patients and in subgroups, including patients with or without baseline heart failure.Methods and resultsPatients were randomized to receive empagliflozin 10 mg, empagliflozin 25 mg, or placebo. Seven thousand and twenty patients were treated; 706 (10.1%) had heart failure at baseline. Heart failure hospitalization or cardiovascular death occurred in a significantly lower percentage of patients treated with empagliflozin [265/4687 patients (5.7%)] than with placebo [198/2333 patients (8.5%)] [hazard ratio, HR: 0.66 (95% confidence interval: 0.55–0.79); P < 0.001], corresponding to a number needed to treat to prevent one heart failure hospitalization or cardiovascular death of 35 over 3 years. Consistent effects of empagliflozin were observed across subgroups defined by baseline characteristics, including patients with vs. without heart failure, and across categories of medications to treat diabetes and/or heart failure. Empagliflozin improved other heart failure outcomes, including hospitalization for or death from heart failure [2.8 vs. 4.5%; HR: 0.61 (0.47–0.79); P < 0.001] and was associated with a reduction in all-cause hospitalization [36.8 vs. 39.6%; HR: 0.89 (0.82–0.96); P = 0.003]. Serious adverse events and adverse events leading to discontinuation were reported by a higher proportion of patients with vs. without heart failure at baseline in both treatment groups, but were no more common with empagliflozin than with placebo.ConclusionIn patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, empagliflozin reduced heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular death, with a consistent benefit in patients with and without baseline heart failure.

Obesity is associated with an array of health problems in adult and pediatric populations. Understanding the pathogenesis of obesity and its metabolic sequelae has advanced rapidly over the past decades. Adipose tissue represents an active endocrine organ that, in addition to regulating fat mass and nutrient homeostasis, releases a large number of bioactive mediators (adipokines) that signal to organs of metabolic importance including brain, liver, skeletal muscle, and the immune systemthereby modulating hemostasis, blood pressure, lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. In the present review, we summarize current data on the effect of the adipose tissue-derived hormones adiponectin, chemerin, leptin, omentin, resistin, retinol binding protein 4, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, vaspin, and visfatin on insulin resistance. LRb is restricted to the hypothalamus, brainstem and key regions of the brain which control feeding, energy balance and glucose metabolism.c Effects likely to be mediated through inhibition of a yet-unknown protease.d Effects mediated through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthetic activity.