Efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

BACKGROUND:The efficacy and safety of finerenone are unknown. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS:We systematically searched for relevant studies in the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases from database inception until December 2020. We selected randomized controlled trials assessing finerenone treatment in patients with CKD. RESULTS:Four trials (n=7,048) met the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, finerenone significantly reduced the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in patients with CKD {mean difference (MD), -0.30 [95% confidence interval (CI), -0.50, -0.11], P<0.05}, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) confirmed this result. No significant difference was observed in eGFR in patients with CKD between the finerenone and placebo groups [MD, -0.90 (95% CI, -3.84 to 2.04), P>0.05]. Overall, the frequency of adverse events was similar in the two groups [relative risk (RR), 1. 00 (95% CI, 0.98, 1.02), P>0.05], and TSA confirmed this result. However, the finerenone group exhibited a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders and a higher risk of hyperkalemia than the placebo group [RR, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.85, 0.99), P<0.05 and RR, 2.04 (95% CI, 1.77, 2.34), P<0.00001, respectively]. DISCUSSION:This meta-analysis indicated that finerenone confers an important antiproteinuric effect on patients with CKD and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disorders in these patients. Finerenone may be a promising therapy option for patients with CKD. TRIAL REGISTRATION:PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021222404.