Adding two classes of diabetes medications to the drug regimens of patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease can reduce both blood glucose levels and albuminuria, a study shows.

The findings come from a double-blind placebo-controlled trial that investigated the effects of dapagliflozin (10mg/day) and saxagliptin (2.5mg/day) on patients who were also taking their usual diabetes medications and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor inhibitor.

The study of 450 patients with increased albuminuria and an eGFR in the range of 25-75mL/min/1.73m² found that by week 24 urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio had decreased by 38% in those on the added combination therapy compared with placebo.

HbA1c levels were an average of 6.5 mmol/mol lower in the combination arm compared with the placebo arm reported the international study called DELIGHT published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.