Midyear Highlights

A few of our editorial board members shared the nephrology research and news they’ve found most notable so far this year. 

Mohamed G. Atta, MD, MPH

I would like to highlight this research paper from Taiwan that showed clinical benefits of sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in even chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5. Though not randomized, it would reduce providers’ fears of using these agents in patients with very low glomerular filtration rate. 

Yen F-S, Hwu C-M, Liu J-S, Wu Y-L, Chong K, Hsu C-C. Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and the risk for dialysis and cardiovascular disease in patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. Ann Intern Med. 2024. doi:10.7326/M23-1874 

Kenneth Liss, DO 

For me, it is the potential impact of glucagon-like peptides on renal function. 

Seksaria S, Dutta BJ, Kaur M, Gupta GD, Bodakhe SH, Singh A. Role of GLP-1 receptor agonist in diabetic cardio-renal disorder: recent updates of clinical and pre-clinical evidence. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2024. doi:10.2174/1573399820666230809152148 

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP 

Complement factor B inhibitor looks like another effective therapy for IgAN. 

Perkovic V, Kollins D, Renfurm R, et al. Efficacy and safety of iptacopan in patients with IgA nephropathy: interim results from the phase 3 APPLAUSE-IgAN study. Kidney Int Rep. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.1414 

The FLOW trial, of course.

Perkovic V, Tuttle KR, Rossing P, et al. Effects of semaglutide on chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2024. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2403347 

Minimal change is antibody-mediated. Rewrite the textbooks! 

Hengel FE, Dehde S, Lassé M, et al. Autoantibodies targeting nephrin in podocytopathies. N Engl J Med. 2024. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2314471 

We figured out what the dense deposits are in dense deposit disease! 

Madden B, Singh RD, Haas M, et al. Apolipoprotein E is enriched in dense deposits and is a marker for dense deposit disease in C3 glomerulopathy. Kidney Int. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.kint.2024.02.013 

Finally, the KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) CKD guideline got updated for the first time since 2012!