Comparing finerenone (Kerendia) and empagliflozin (Jardiance), alone or together, for diabetic kidney disease in African American veterans

You may qualify if

• Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (HbA1C at or above 6.5%, or fasting blood glucose of more than 125 or random/ post prandial blood glucose of more than 199mg%)
• African American veterans
• Age 20-90 years
• eGFR ≥25-89 mL/min/1.73 m2 by the CKD-EPI equation)
• Albuminuria of 30 mg/g or higher
• BMI=18-39.9
• Blood pressure controlled to ≤140/90
• Ability to provide informed consent before any trial related activities are conducted.

You can't join if

• If a patient is on statin, need to be on a stable dose for a month.
• Biopsy proven diagnosis of glomerular disease/glomerulonephritis
• Active smokers,
• Active skin wounds undergoing treatment or recent surgery within 1 month (due to possible aberrations in glycemic control)
• Women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, nursing mothers, women of childbearing potential not using birth control measure
• Hypersensitivity to empagliflozin or finerenone
• Patients on dialysis
• eGFR less than 25 mL/min/1.73 m2 by the CKD-EPI equation
• Planned surgery or planned hospital admission within 5 months of participation in the study
• At the discretion of PI to ensure health, safety, and well-being of the veteran, participation in this study may be stopped (please see withdrawal criteria)
• Patients with prior history of diagnosis of heart failure with documented EF of less than 50.
• Proven diagnosis of Polycystic Kidney Disease.