Effectiveness and Tolerability of the Intensification of Canagliflozin Dose from 100 mg to 300 mg Daily in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Real Life: The INTENSIFY Study

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of intensifying the dose of canagliflozin from 100 mg/day (CANA100) to 300 mg/day (CANA300) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and suboptimal metabolic control in a real-world setting. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted on adult patients with T2DM who initiated treatment with CANA100 and subsequently required intensification to CANA300. The primary outcome measures were changes in HbA1c and weight at 6 months after the switch and at the end of the follow-up period. Results: A total of 317 patients met the inclusion criteria (59.6% male, mean age 62.2 years, baseline HbA1c 7.55%, weight 88.6 kg, median duration of treatment with CANA100 9.9 months). Switching to CANA300 resulted in a significant reduction in HbA1c (6 months: -0.33%; last visit: -0.47%, both p < 0.0001) and weight (6 months: -1.8 kg; last visit: -2.9 kg, both p < 0.0001) over a median follow-up period of 20.8 months. The proportion of patients that achieved HbA1c < 7% increased from 26.7% with CANA100 to 51.6% with CANA300 (p < 0.0001). Among individuals with poor baseline glycemic control (HbA1c > 8%, mean 9.0%), HbA1c was significantly reduced by -1.24% (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, significant improvements were observed in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood pressure (BP), liver enzymes, and albuminuria. No unexpected adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Intensifying the treatment to CANA300 in a real-world setting resulted in further significant and clinically relevant reductions in FPG, HbA1c, weight, and BP in patients with T2DM. The switch was particularly effective in patients with higher baseline HbA1c levels.