Randomized Trial of SGLT2i in Heart Transplant Recipients

NCT06625073 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 200

Last updated 2026-01-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Heart transplant (HTx) is an established therapy for advanced heart disease that restores quality of life and improves survival. However, due to preexisting comorbidities combined with the immunosuppressive therapies required after transplantation, HTx recipients remain at high risk for kidney, cardiovascular (CV), and metabolic disease. Large randomized clinical trials have recently shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have potent kidney protective and CV benefits in many populations of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), CV disease and/or diabetes. SGLT2i have not been studied prospectively in HTx recipients, which represents a barrier to their use in this population.

In this multicenter randomized controlled trial in Veterans with HTx, investigators will evaluate the potential benefits of empagliflozin on kidney function, cardiometabolic risk, erythropoiesis, and functional status. A total of 200 Veterans will be randomly assigned to receive either empagliflozin 10 mg daily or a matching placebo for 12 months.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Empagliflozin

A starting dose of empagliflozin 10 mg or matching placebo will be initiated after randomization and completion of the baseline testing. Participating subjects will remain at this dose for the whole study duration of 12 months.

DRUG

Placebo

A starting dose of empagliflozin 10 mg or matching placebo will be initiated after randomization and completion of the baseline testing. Participating subjects will remain at this dose for the whole study duration of 12 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • VA Office of Research and Development

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Josef Stehlik, MD MPH · VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-01-20
Primary Completion
2029-08-31
Completion
2030-02-28
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06625073 on ClinicalTrials.gov