Original Research

Comparison of the Efficacy of Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin in Reducing Proteinuria in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Bilal Javaid
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad
Ijaz Nabi
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad
Muhammad Irfan
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad
Mujahid Iqbal
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad
Madiha Rauf
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad
Salman Mehmood
Allied Hospital Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad

✉ Correspondence: Bilal Javaid Email: dr.bilaljavaid160@gmail.com

DOI https://doi.org/10.70302/jpsim.v7i3.2642
Volume: 7, Issue 3 Pages: 219–224 Published: 21 Aug 2026
Received: 12 Jan 2026 Revised: 13 May 2026 Accepted: 12 Aug 2026 Published Online: 21 Aug 2026

Abstract

Objectives

To compare the efficacy of empagliflozin and dapagliflozin in reducing proteinuria among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Department of Nephrology, Allied Hospital-I, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from February 29, 2024, to August 28, 2024. One hundred adult patients with T2DM and proteinuria who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were enrolled and randomly allocated into two equal groups. Group A received empagliflozin 25 mg once daily, whereas Group B received dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily for 12 weeks. Twenty-four-hour urinary protein was measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. The primary outcome was a ≥30% reduction in 24-hour urinary protein from baseline.

Results

The mean age of participants was 47.43 ± 9.31 years. Sixty patients (60%) were aged 30–50 years, and 40 (40%) were aged 51–75 years. Overall, 21 patients (21%) were male and 79 (79%) were female. Clinical efficacy was achieved in 46 of 50 patients (92.0%) receiving empagliflozin compared with 38 of 50 patients (76.0%) receiving dapagliflozin. Empagliflozin demonstrated significantly greater efficacy in reducing proteinuria than dapagliflozin (p = 0.029).

Conclusion

Empagliflozin was significantly more effective than dapagliflozin in reducing proteinuria among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after 12 weeks of treatment. Larger multicenter studies with longer follow-up are required to confirm these findings and determine whether the greater reduction in proteinuria translates into improved long-term renal outcomes.

Keywords
Type 2 diabetes mellitus Proteinuria Empagliflozin Dapagliflozin Diabetic kidney disease.

How to Cite This Article

Javaid B, Nabi I, Irfan M, Iqbal M, Rauf M, Mehmood S. Comparison of the Efficacy of Empagliflozin and Dapagliflozin in Reducing Proteinuria in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Pak Soc Intern Med. 2026;7(3):219–224. doi:10.70302/jpsim.v7i3.2642

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Disclosed in accordance with ICMJE and COPE guidelines.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency.

Funder information follows the Crossref Funder Registry standard.

Ethics Statement

not_applicable

Conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

References

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CC BY CC BY 4.0 This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. May be shared and adapted with attribution. © 2026 Journal of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine.
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