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Effects of the SGLT2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin in Patients With Euvolemic and Hypervolemic Hyponatremia

Effects of the SGLT2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin in Patients With Euvolemic and Hypervolemic Hyponatremia - a Multicentric Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial (the EMPOWER Study)

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04447911
Acronym
EMPOWER
Enrollment
113
Registered
2020-06-25
Start date
2021-02-04
Completion date
2026-09-15
Last updated
2026-09-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hyponatremia, Kidney Failure, Liver Failure, SIADH

Brief summary

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte derangement occurring in hospitalized patients. It is usually classified as hypovolemic, euvolemic or hypervolemic. The most common aetiology of euvolemic hyponatremia is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD). Hypervolemic hyponatremia is common in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) (10-27%) and liver cirrhosis (up to approximately 50%). In SIAD, the regulation of arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion is impaired which leads to free water retention. In CHF and liver cirrhosis, the effective arterial blood volume is decreased leading to non-osmotic baroreceptor mediated AVP release and consecutive free water retention. Current treatments of euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia, including the most used treatment fluid restriction, are of limited efficacy. Sodium-Glucose-Co-Transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce glucose reabsorption in the proximal tubule, resulting in glucosuria and consecutive osmotic diuresis. A placebo-controlled randomized trial of our group has shown that a short-term, i.e. a 4-days administration of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin (Jardiance)® in addition to fluid restriction was effective in increasing the serum sodium concentration in 87 patients with SIAD-induced hyponatremia. The effect of empagliflozin (Jardiance)® without additional fluid restriction is however not yet known. Large randomized controlled trials have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors reduced hospitalization for heart failure in patients with, and more recently without type 2 diabetes. No studies have investigated the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors in hypervolemic hyponatremia. To evaluate the effect of empagliflozin (Jardiance)® in eu- and hypervolemic hyponatremia, a randomized placebo-controlled study is needed.

Interventions

DRUGEmpagliflozin 25 MG

Empagliflozin 25mg per os once daily for 30 days

DRUGPlacebo

Placebo per os once daily for 30 days

Sponsors

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Lead SponsorOTHER
Luzerner Kantonsspital
CollaboratorOTHER
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Intervention model description

Multicentric prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

\- chronic eu- OR hypervolemic non hyperosmolar (\<300 mOsm/kg) hyponatremia (heparin plasma sodium \<135 mmol/L on day of inclusion)

Exclusion criteria

* known hypersensitivity or allergy to class of drugs or the investigational product, * severe symptomatic hyponatremia in need of treatment with 3% NaCl-solution or in need of intensive/intermediate care treatment at time of inclusion * clinical hypovolemia * Severe reduction of eGFR \<20 mL/min/1,73 m2 (KDIGO G4 and G5) or end stage renal disease * Chronic liver insufficiency with Child Pugh Score ≥10 or decompensated liver cirrhosis (jaundice, hepatorenal syndrome, encephalopathy, bleeding, …) * Hepatic impairment defined as aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) \>3x the upper limit of normal (ULN); or total bilirubin \>2x ULN at time of enrolment * uncontrolled hypothyroidism * uncontrolled adrenal insufficiency * systolic blood pressure \<90mmHg * contraindication for lowering blood pressure * diabetes mellitus type 1 or pancreatic diabetes mellitus * treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors, lithium chloride, vaptans, demeclocycline or urea on inclusion day * severe immunosuppression (leucocytes \<2 G/l) * peripheral arterial disease stage III-IV of the Fontaine Classification * fasting or other reasons preventing medication intake * previous enrolment into the current study * participation in another intervention study * pregnancy, breastfeeding, intention to become pregnant during the course of the study or lack of safe contraception. * end of life care

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in average daily area under curve (AUC) for serum sodium concentration4 daysChange in average daily AUC for serum sodium concentration
Long-term serum sodium change (before/after treatment)30 daysAbsolute change in serum sodium concentration from baseline to end of treatment

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Occurence of falls30 daysOccurence of falls
Occurence of fractures30 daysOccurence of fractures
Length of hospital stay30 daysLength of hospital stay
Impact intervention on bodyweight30 dayschange of bodyweight
Impact intervention on blood pressure30 dayschange of blood pressure
Course of serum sodium level30 daysCourse of serum sodium level
Change of plasma osmolality30 daysChange of plasma osmolality
Change of urinary osmolality30 daysChange of urinary osmolality
Change of plasma urea30 daysChange of plasma urea
Change of urinary urea30 daysChange of urinary urea
Change of plasma uric acid30 daysChange of plasma uric acid
Change of urinary uric acid30 daysChange of urinary uric acid
Change of plasma creatinin30 daysChange of plasma creatinin
Change of urinary creatinin30 daysChange of urinary creatinin
Change of plasma potassium30 daysChange of plasma potassium
Change of urinary potassium30 daysChange of urinary potassium
Change in plasma copeptin30 daysChange in plasma copeptin
Change in plasma aldosterone30 daysChange in plasma aldosterone
Change in plasma renin30 daysChange in plasma renin
Change in plasma MR-proANP30 daysChange in plasma MR-proANP
Change in plasma NT-proBNP30 daysChange in plasma NT-proBNP
Change in plasma CTX30 daysChange in plasma CTX
Change in plasma P1NP30 daysChange in plasma P1NP
Occurence of thirst30 daysOccurence of thirst
Occurence of headache30 daysOccurence of headache
Occurence of vertigo30 daysOccurence of vertigo
Occurence of nausea30 daysOccurence of nausea
Change in general well-being30 daysChange in general well-being according to visual analogue scale
Change in quality of life30 dayschange in quality of life according to EQ-5D-5L questionnaire
Change in cognitive impairment30 daysChange in cognitive impairment measured with the MoCa test
Change in neuromuscular impairment30 daysChange in neuromuscular impairment measured with the timed up and go test
Change in visual attention30 daysChange in visual attention measured with the trail making test
Change in grip strength30 daysChange in grip strength measured with a hand dynamometer

Countries

Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland

Contacts

CONTACTMirjam Christ-Crain, Prof
Mirjam.Christ-Crain@usb.ch+41 61 328 70 80
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJulie Refardt, MD

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 5, 2026