# Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors for the Amelioration of Acute Cardio-Renal Syndrome

> **NIH DK K23** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2026 · $192,258

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY | Candidate: The candidate is an Instructor of Medicine (Nephrology) with 3 years of
ongoing training in clinical research in acute kidney injury (AKI) and clinical trial design and conduct under the
mentorship of the director of Yale’s Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator, a leading expert in clinical
trials and pharmaco-epidemiology in AKI. This award will also allow her to receive mentorship from renowned
experts in heart failure translational research, renal physiology and biostatistics to eventually become an
independent clinical researcher in cardiorenal syndromes.
Proposed Study: More than 1/3rd of patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (AHF) develop AKI, which is an
independent risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease progression and mortality. AKI in this setting, often
known as acute cardiorenal syndrome (CRS), is a cycle of venous congestion and overactive sodium
reabsorption mechanisms characterized by diuretic resistance leading to prolonged patient distress and
interruptions of essential HF therapy. The long-term goal of this study is to assess the efficacy of sodium-glucose
cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) for acute CRS. SGLT2i are oral anti-hyperglycemic drugs which target a key
sodium and glucose reabsorption mechanism in the kidney that have consistently slowed long-term kidney and
cardiovascular disease progression in randomized clinical trials, independent of patients’ diabetes status or heart
failure type. There is also pre-clinical evidence supporting their kidney tubular and endothelial protective and
reparative effects in AKI. However, the efficacy and safety of SGLT2i in humans with acute CRS is unknown and
AKI in this setting is a frequent reason for discontinuation. In a multicenter cohort study, we have shown that
SGLT2 inhibition during AHF-associated AKI is not associated with prolonged AKI. By inhibiting an energy-
demanding sodium reabsorption mechanism in the kidney’s proximal tubule, SG

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11384879
- **Project number:** 5K23DK142042-02
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Abinet M Aklilu
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** DK
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $192,258
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2025-08-01T00:00:00 → 2030-04-30T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11384879

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11384879, Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors for the Amelioration of Acute Cardio-Renal Syndrome (5K23DK142042-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-19 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11384879. Licensed CC0.

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