The use of semaglutide for non-diabetic obese patients with cardiovascular disease was first reported to be associated with significant benefit in the SELECT trial, where major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were reduced by 20% in semaglutide recipients as compared to those on placebo. However, this trial was not analyzed for evidence of benefit for kidney function. A recent study published in Nature Medicine discusses kidney outcomes with semaglutide in this subset of patients.
Study: Long-term kidney outcomes of semaglutide in obesity and cardiovascular disease in the SELECT trial. Image Credit: Caroline Ruda / Shutterstock.com Obesity increases the risk for altered kidney function, including reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and increased albuminuria.
As a result, body mass index (BMI) has been incorporated into the chronic kidney disease (CKD) Prognosis Consortium risk equation for kidney failure. Some potential mechanisms involved in this association include an excessively high filtration rate, low-grade inflammation, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, increased tubular reabsorption of sodium, which causes tubular damage and oxidative damage, and increased activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system , which causes vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure. Moreover, in obese individuals, fat often accumulates in abnormal locations, including in the kidney sinuses.
Therefore, weight reduction is vital to therapy for CKD in obesity. Semaglutide i.
