Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease (Sep 2020)

Rationale and design of the expanded combination of evolocumab plus empagliflozin in diabetes: EXCEED-BHS3 trial

  • Ikaro Breder,
  • Jessica Cunha Breder,
  • Isabella Bonilha,
  • Daniel B. Munhoz,
  • Sheila T. Kimura Medorima,
  • Daniela C. Oliveira,
  • Helison R. do Carmo,
  • Camila Moreira,
  • Anatol Kontush,
  • Francesca Zimetti,
  • Ilaria Zanotti,
  • Luiz Sergio F. Carvalho,
  • Wilson Nadruz,
  • Elza Muscelli,
  • Thiago Quinaglia,
  • Andrei C. Sposito,

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/2040622320959248
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain at increased cardiovascular residual risk and endothelial dysfunction, even after optimizing metabolic control and treatment by sodium-glucose-2 transporter inhibitors (SGLT2-is). The present study was based on the hypothesis that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 inhibitor (PCSK9i) therapy may mitigate endothelial dysfunction in T2DM patients who are on regular treatment by SGLT2-i. Methods: The EXCEED-BHS3 is a prospective, single-center, investigator-blinded, open-label, randomized clinical trial. Participants ( n = 110) will be randomized (1:1) to either empagliflozin 25 mg/day alone or empagliflozin 25 mg/day plus evolocumab 140 mg every 2 weeks in addition to optimal medical care. The primary endpoint was defined as the change in the 1-min flow-mediated dilation (FMD) after 16 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoint is the FMD change after ischemia/reperfusion injury protocol (reserve FMD) after 16 weeks of treatment. Exploratory outcomes comprise the change in FMD and reserve FMD after 8 weeks of treatment and the change after 16 weeks of treatment in the following parameters: plasma levels of nitric oxide, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and isoprostane, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein subfractions profile, HDL function, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference and adipokines. Conclusion: This will be the first study to evaluate the add-on effect of PCSK9i on endothelial function of T2DM patients under regular use of empagliflozin. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03932721