Somatostatin analogues for ADPKD: ending the confusing story of mGFR and eGFR

This commentary discusses the Lanreotide In Polycystic kidney disease Study (LIPS) that is published in this issue of Kidney International. It represents the last randomized evaluation of somatostatin analogues in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Lanreotide did not demonstrate a beneficial effect on the primary outcome, measured glomerular filtration rate decline, but did suggest an effect on creatinine-estimated glomerular filtration rate slope. The discrepancy between both outcomes highlights important challenges in the interpretation of kidney function end points and statistical modeling. All in all, the findings of the LIPS trial support the current Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes recommendation not to prescribe somatostatin analogues solely to preserve kidney function in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.