Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a important concern for patients undergoing cardiac surgery, affecting up too half of those who have the procedure.Despite this high‌ incidence, effective ‍preventative measures have been limited. Though, recent research suggests a potential solution: sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which have ‍demonstrated a possible link to reduced AKI ‌rates in previous studies – ⁤showing a hazard ratio of 0.66 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.55-0.80).

MERCURI-2 Trial Investigates Dapagliflozin’s Protective Effects

Presented at the American Society ‌of Nephrology Kidney Week 2025, the proMoting Effective Renoprotection in Cardiac Surgery Patients by Inhibition of SGLT2 (MERCURI-2) trial was a multicenter, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled ⁣randomized study designed​ to specifically evaluate​ the impact ‍of dapagliflozin on postoperative AKI.​ The study aimed‌ to determine if perioperative⁢ treatment with ⁤this SGLT2 inhibitor​ could⁤ demonstrably lower ​the incidence of ‌AKI in adult patients ‌scheduled for elective cardiac surgery.

Study Design and Key ‍Outcomes

Researchers randomized participants⁣ to receive either 10 mg of oral⁢ dapagliflozin‌ or a matching placebo once daily, beginning the‌ day before surgery and continuing through the second day ‍post-surgery. The primary endpoint was the incidence of AKI, ⁣defined using the established ​criteria from the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. Investigators also analyzed secondary outcomes, focusing ⁢on the occurrence of different stages of AKI severity.

These findings offer a ​potential new avenue‌ for protecting kidney function in vulnerable ⁤cardiac surgery patients. Further analysis and ⁣publication of the full MERCURI-2 trial results are anticipated to provide more detailed insights into the clinical benefits⁣ of perioperative dapagliflozin.