Benefits regardless of diabetes and urine protein
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors reduced kidney worsening and hospitalizations across diabetes status and urine protein levels.
*Meta-analysis of randomized trials; Level 1a (OCEBM).
Citation
Staplin N, Roddick AJ, Neuen BL, et al; SMART-C. Effects of Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors by Diabetes Status and Level of Albuminuria: A Meta-Analysis. JAMA. 2026;335(3):220-232. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.20835
Background
These medicines are recommended for chronic kidney disease, but some guidelines give weaker recommendations for people without diabetes or with lower urine protein. This study pooled large trials to clarify benefits and serious harms across these groups.
Patients
58,816 adults from 8 randomized trials; 48,946 with diabetes and 9,870 without diabetes; grouped by urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (200 mg/g or more vs less than 200 mg/g).
Intervention
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor added to usual care.
Control
Placebo added to usual care.
Outcome
Kidney disease progression, acute kidney injury, any hospitalization, death, and key serious harms.
Follow-up Period
Approximately 1.6 to 3.3 years (varied by trial and outcome).
Results
| Group |
Outcome |
Hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) |
Absolute change (events per 1000 patient-years) |
Number needed to treat or harm (1 year) |
| Diabetes |
Kidney disease progression |
0.65 (0.60 to 0.70) |
15 fewer |
Treat 67 |
| No diabetes |
Kidney disease progression |
0.74 (0.63 to 0.85) |
14 fewer |
Treat 72 |
| Diabetes |
Acute kidney injury |
0.77 (0.69 to 0.87) |
4 fewer |
Treat 250 |
| No diabetes |
Acute kidney injury |
0.72 (0.56 to 0.92) |
5 fewer |
Treat 200 |
| Diabetes |
Any hospitalization |
0.90 (0.87 to 0.92) |
29 fewer |
Treat 35 |
| No diabetes |
Any hospitalization |
0.89 (0.83 to 0.95) |
34 fewer |
Treat 30 |
| Diabetes |
Death from any cause |
0.86 (0.80 to 0.91) |
5 fewer |
Treat 200 |
| Diabetes |
Ketoacidosis (serious harm) |
2.29 (1.42 to 3.71) |
0.5 more |
Harm 2000 |
Ketoacidosis is a dangerous buildup of acids in the blood.
Analyses were intention-to-treat. Relative benefits were similar in higher vs lower urine protein groups; kidney benefits were larger in absolute terms when urine protein was 200 mg/g or more.
Limitations
Not all eligible trials had urine protein data; subgroup tests may miss real differences; absolute benefit estimates reflect trial populations and were not adjusted for competing risks.
Funding
No industry funding for meta-analysis; included trials were industry-funded.
Clinical Application
For chronic kidney disease, consider these medicines even without diabetes or with lower urine protein, while counseling people with diabetes about rare ketoacidosis risk.