Study shows diabetes drug Ozempic also has positive effect in chronic kidney disease

The diabetes drug semaglutide, often known as Ozempic, has a optimistic impact on sufferers with power kidney illness and weight problems. The quantity of protein of their urine decreased, as did the diploma of irritation of their kidneys and their blood stress.

This was proven in a global research led by scientific pharmacologist Hiddo L. Heerspink of the College Medical Heart Groningen within the Netherlands. That is the primary time that it has been proven that this diabetes drug, now greatest often called a method of shedding weight, can be efficient for sufferers with power kidney injury.

The outcomes of this research have been printed in Nature Drugs and introduced concurrently on the annual congress of the American Society of Nephrology.

Hiddo L. Heerspink obtained the concept for this research firstly of the corona pandemic. Earlier, he had found that one other class of medicine towards kind 2 diabetes, the so-called SGLT2 inhibitors, additionally appeared to work nicely for sufferers with power kidney injury with out diabetes. He due to this fact wished to research whether or not semaglutide would additionally work positively for sufferers with power kidney illness and weight problems.

The primary members began this research within the second half of 2022. At the moment, it had change into more and more identified that semaglutide triggered weight reduction. Consequently, getting members enthusiastic about this research was no drawback in any respect. Lots of sufferers wished the drug however might not get it as a result of manufacturing couldn’t sustain with demand. This research gave them a 50% probability of getting the drug although.

Quantity of protein in urine halved

The research was performed in 4 nations: Canada, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. Half of the 101 members obtained 24-week injections of semaglutide, whereas the opposite half obtained a placebo. The research discovered that the quantity of protein in urine, an final result measure indicating the diploma of kidney injury, was decreased by as a lot as 52%.

Moreover, the diploma of kidney irritation was discovered to lower by 30%, the members’ blood stress drop was as giant as a blood pressure-lowering drug provides, and in them, a key measure of coronary heart failure was decreased by 33%. Individuals additionally misplaced about 10% of their weight.

Heerspink may be very smitten by these outcomes. “The nice factor is that the drug has each direct and oblique results on the kidneys. The drug has direct results on irritation parameters within the kidney, and lowers fats tissue across the kidneys, reducing the quantity of protein within the urine. And not directly, as a result of it reduces members’ weight and blood stress.”

The research was too brief to measure enchancment in members’ high quality of life or medium-term results. “We despatched the members questionnaires about their weight loss plan. They appeared to really feel hungry much less typically and due to this fact eat much less.”

As for the follow-up, Heerspink says, “All indicators are inexperienced to check this drug in a big research. I wish to discover out whether or not it could actually result in fewer dialyses or kidney transplants. And I might additionally very very like to research whether or not this drug additionally works positively in sufferers with kidney injury with out weight problems. It is just very tough now to get sufficient of the drug to do the research on account of its unprecedented reputation.”

Impact of Ozempic in kind 2 diabetes

The category of medicine that Ozempic falls underneath is designed to deal with kind 2 diabetes. The drug impacts the intestinal hormone GLP-1 which is answerable for correct processing of carbohydrates from meals.

That is, partly, by stimulating insulin launch by the pancreas. As well as, GLP-1 reduces the sensation of starvation and causes meals to maneuver extra slowly from the abdomen to the intestines. It provides a sense of fullness for longer, resulting in weight reduction. These results enhance glucose management and weight reduction.

Supplied by
Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen