Study summary

A diabetes drug lowered stone-forming urine chemistry

Empagliflozin stone trial · Randomized crossover, phase 2 · Published January 2025, Nature Medicine

What was tested

Empagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor used for diabetes and heart failure, against placebo in people without diabetes who form calcium or uric acid stones, measuring urine saturation (a stand-in for stone risk).

What they found

• In calcium stone formers, calcium phosphate saturation fell 36%.
• In uric acid stone formers, uric acid saturation fell 30%.
• Calcium oxalate saturation did not change.

What it means

Supports larger trials measuring actual stone recurrence, now underway (EMPASTONE).