1120-P: Association between the Inflammatory Marker GDF-15 and Kidney Disease Progression: Results from the CANVAS Trial

Introduction: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a marker of inflammation and cellular injury. Small clinical studies have suggested that SGLT2 inhibitors exert anti-inflammatory effects. We examined the association of baseline GDF-15 with kidney outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) participating in the CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) study. We also assessed the effect of the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin (CANA) on GDF-15. Methods: The CANVAS trial randomized 4330 people with T2DM at high cardiovascular risk to CANA or placebo. Plasma GDF-15 concentration was measured with GDF-15 Roche Elecsys assay at baseline and follow-up. The association between GDF-15 and the primary kidney outcome (40% eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, or renal death) was assessed using multivariable adjusted Cox regression. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the effect of CANA versus placebo on GDF-15 levels. Results: We included 3557 CANVAS participants with available plasma samples (mean age 62.8 years, 33.1% female, mean eGFR 76.9 ml/min/1.73 m2, median uACR 11.6 mg/g, median GDF-15 1776.0 pg/ml). During a mean follow-up of 5.7 years, 137 kidney outcomes occurred. Higher GDF-15 levels were independently associated with higher risk of kidney events (HR 1.98 [95% CI 1.40 to 2.81] per log increment GDF-15). Treatment with CANA modestly lowered GDF-15 compared to placebo (-2% [95% CI -5 to 0; p=0.046]). The effect of CANA on the kidney outcome (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40-0.79) was consistent regardless of baseline GDF-15 levels (p-interaction=0.75). GDF-15 did however not mediate the renal protective effect of CANA (percent mediation 3.9% [95% CI -3.6 to 14.0]). Conclusion: CANA modestly lowers GDF-15, which is independently associated with a higher risk of kidney disease progression in patients with T2DM at high cardiovascular risk. The modest reduction in GDF-15 with CANA did not mediate the renal protective effect of CANA. Disclosure J. Li: Employee; Self; George Institute. T. Sen: None. B. Neal: Research Support; Self; Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Merck Schering Plough, Roche Pharma, Servier, Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Other Relationship; Self; Abbott, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and Servier. B.L. Neuen: Research Support; Self; Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship, Oxford Australia Clarendon Scholarship from the University of Oxford, University Postgraduate Award from UNSW Sydney. Other Relationship; Self; Janssen Research & Development, LLC. V. Perkovic: Other Relationship; Self; See Other Relationship field. D. de Zeeuw: Advisory Panel; Self; AbbVie Inc., Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Fresenius Medical Care, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation. K.W. Mahaffey: Consultant; Self; Medscape, Mitsubishi, Myokardia, NIH, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Portola, Radiometer, Regeneron, SmartMedics, Springer Publishing, UCSF. Research Support; Self; Afferent, Amgen, Apple, Inc, AstraZeneca, Cardiva Medical, Inc, Daiichi, Ferring, Google (Verily), Johnson & Johnson, Luitpold, Medtronic, Merck, NIH, Novartis, Sanofi, St. Jude, Tenax. Y. Yavin: Employee; Self; Janssen Research & Development, LLC. N. Rosenthal: None. M.K. Hansen: Employee; Self; Janssen Research & Development, LLC. H.L. Heerspink: Consultant; Self; AbbVie Inc., AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, CSL Behring, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Mundipharma International, Retrophin, Inc. Funding Janssen Research & Development, LLC