Dapagliflozin to Prevent the Incidence of Contrast Induced Nephropathy After Heart Catheterization and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Left heart catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become a useful tool in interventional cardiology, in which iodinated contrast media is used. Although the use of iodinated contrast media (CM) is considered to be safe in patients with normal renal function, it is risky in patients with known chronic renal insufficiency (CKD) and diabetes mellitus. Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) remains one of the most leading causes of in hospital acute kidney injury (AKI), affecting morbidity and mortality. There are various mechanisms through which CM develop their nephrotoxic effects, including renal vasoconstriction and medullary hypoxia, tubular cell toxicity and reactive oxygen species formation.

Inhibitors of type 2 sodium- glucose co-transporter (SGLT2i) is a relatively recent addition to the array of anti-diabetic agents, becoming part of everyday clinical practice. However, although SGLT2i were first used solely as antidiabetics because of their glycosuric effect, further research demonstrated that these drugs may independently reduce cardiovascular events, especially in patients with heart failure, a benefit that was consistent among diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Moreover, pleiotropic effects have been observed, including a reno-protective action. In addition to the effects mediated by intrarenal hemodynamic changes, SGLT2-i also have direct anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic nephroprotective effects. Indeed, SGLT2-i suppress the production of reactive oxygen species, lessening glomerulosclerosis and tubulo-interstitial fibrosis.

These findings suggest that the use of SGLT2i could offer benefit by reducing/ preventing the nephrotoxic effects of contrast media leading to the assumption that the use of these drugs could prevent the incidence nephropathy after cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention.