New research has revealed that semaglutide, a commonly prescribed medication for diabetes and obesity, may offer protective benefits for kidney function in individuals dealing with excess weight and cardiovascular issues. Experts in health suggest that this discovery implies that semaglutide could serve as an effective treatment option for managing comorbidities, ultimately enhancing individuals' quality of life.
Presented at the 61st ERA Congress, the study findings highlight that regular administration of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, could potentially help mitigate complications like chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease frequently associated with obesity.
Health professionals view these results as promising, underscoring semaglutide's potential as a therapeutic tool for addressing comorbid conditions and enhancing overall well-being.
Dr. Shiara Ortiz-Pujols, an obesity medicine specialist at Staten Island University Hospital, emphasized the importance of this research in supporting the positive impact of semaglutide on individuals with overweight or obesity but no diabetes, especially in the context of insurance coverage challenges for these medications.
Examining the impact of semaglutide on heart health, researchers analyzed data from a prior randomized trial involving 17,604 individuals with overweight or obesity and heart disease over 3.5 years. They monitored occurrences of kidney-related events such as decline in kidney function, initiation of chronic kidney replacement therapy, onset of persistent macroalbuminuria, or mortality.
Results showed a 22% reduction in kidney-related events in the group of 8,803 individuals receiving weekly semaglutide injections compared to the placebo. Semaglutide also demonstrated a positive effect on kidney filtration function, reflected in lesser declines in glomerular filtration rates and improvements in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and macroalbuminuria.
Notably, these benefits were observed even in individuals with normal kidney function at the study's outset.
Shuchi Anand, MD, MS, an associate professor of medicine (nephrology) at Stanford Medicine, noted that the study revealed a modest positive impact on kidney function in individuals without kidney disease, with a more pronounced effect in slowing the rate of kidney function decline in those with kidney disease.
Dr. Ortiz-Pujols expressed her lack of surprise regarding semaglutide's beneficial effect on kidney function. Anand suggested that reducing the kidneys' workload by shedding even a modest amount of weight, as seen in the study where individuals in the semaglutide group lost around 9% of their body weight over two years, could potentially extend lifespan by lessening the filtering burden on the kidneys.
Furthermore, Anand mentioned that the improved glucose metabolism associated with semaglutide may also benefit kidney health. Ortiz-Pujols added that the drug might reduce inflammation in the body, contributing to its positive impact on kidney function.
While acknowledging the need for more research to comprehend semaglutide's direct and indirect effects on kidney function, Ortiz-Pujols highlighted the importance of considering potential side effects before utilizing semaglutide for its additional kidney benefits.
Individuals with excess weight are at a heightened risk of diabetes and hypertension, both of which can exacerbate kidney function deterioration. The study results suggest that semaglutide could mitigate these risk factors, potentially preventing kidney disease in individuals who are overweight or obese.
Anand emphasized that the findings imply the possibility of using semaglutide to prevent kidney disease rather than solely slowing kidney function loss once the disease has developed. She also highlighted the advantages of this class of medications, noting that kidney protection is an added benefit alongside weight loss and cardiovascular health improvements, providing healthcare providers with multiple reasons to consider them for patients.