Korean J Med > Volume 101(2); 2026 > Article
Nephrology
The Korean Journal of Medicine 2026;101(2):61-69.
Published online April 1, 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2026.101.2.61   
A New Horizon of Cardiorenal Protection through Inhibition of Inflammation and Fibrosis in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Clinical Significance of Finerenone
Kyungho Park1, Dae Eun Choi1,2
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
2Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
당뇨병성 신장병에서 염증과 섬유화 억제를 통한 심신장 보호의 새 지평: 피네레논의 임상적 의의
박경호1, 최대은1,2
1충남대학교병원 신장내과
2충남대학교 의과대학 내과학교실
Correspondence: 
Dae Eun Choi, Tel: +82-42-280-8374, Fax: +82-42-280-7941, Email: daenii@cnu.ac.kr
Received: 31 December 2025   • Revised: 1 March 2026   • Accepted: 18 March 2026
Abstract
Non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (NS-MRAs) have emerged as a novel therapeutic class while minimizing the endocrine adverse effects associated with steroidal MRAs, such as spironolactone and eplerenone. Finerenone, the first clinically approved NS-MRA, exhibits high receptor selectivity, minimal off-target hormonal activity, and exerts potent anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic actions that complement renin-angiotensin system inhibition and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor therapy. The pivotal FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD trials demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in kidney disease progression and cardiovascular composite outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease (urine albumin-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g), the pooled FIDELITY analysis confirmed consistent cardiorenal benefits across diverse risk strata. Hyperkalaemia remains a principal safety concern and requires potassium monitoring and dose adjustments in routine practice. Emerging short-term data on albuminuria suggest the additional benefits of concomitant SGLT2 inhibitor therapy, although definitive outcome evidence for combination strategies is still evolving. Ongoing clinical programs further extend the therapeutic scope of finerenone to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, non-diabetic chronic kidney disease, and type 1 diabetes. Collectively, NS-MRAs provide a mechanistically distinct strategy targeting inflammation and fibrosis and represent an important therapeutic advance in integrated cardiorenal-metabolic risk reduction.
Key Words: Finerenone; Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists; Renal insufficiency, chronic; Diabetic nephropathies; Cardiovascular diseases
주제어: 피네레논; 미네랄코르티코이드 수 용체 길항제; 만성 신부전; 당뇨병성 신장병; 심혈관 질환


TOOLS
METRICS Graph View
  • 0 Crossref
  •  0 Scopus
  • 5 View
  • 1 Download

Editorial Office
101-2501, Lotte Castle President, 109 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul 04146, Korea
Tel: +82-2-2271-6791    Fax: +82-2-790-0993    E-mail: kaim@kams.or.kr                

Copyright © 2026 by The Korean Association of Internal Medicine.

Developed in M2PI

Close layer
prev next