Sen T, Li J, Neuen BL, et al. - Type 2 diabetes patients who were at high cardiovascular risk were found to have a higher risk of cardiovascular, heart failure (HF), and kidney outcomes in relation to higher growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15) levels (a marker of inflammation and cellular injury).

• Anti‐inflammatory effects of sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitors have been suggested in studies.

• In the CANVAS (Canagliflozin Cardiovascular Assessment Study) trial, 4,330 type 2 diabetes patients at high cardiovascular risk were randomly assigned to canagliflozin (sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor) or placebo, to assess link between baseline GDF‐15 and cardiovascular (non‐fatal myocardial infarction, non‐fatal stroke, cardiovascular death), HF, and kidney (40% estimated glomerular filtration rate decline, end‐stage kidney disease, renal death) outcomes.

• In this study, each doubling in baseline GDF‐15 was identified to be significantly linked with a higher risk of cardiovascular (hazard ratio [HR], 1.2), HF (HR, 1.5) and kidney (HR, 1.5) outcomes.

• There was no impact of baseline GDF‐15 on canagliflozin’s effect on cardiovascular, HF, and kidney outcomes.

• A modest reduction of GDF‐15 was seen with canagliflozin, but GDF‐15 reduction did not mediate the protective impact of canagliflozin.