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GLP-1 agonists may offer protection against glaucoma in type 2 diabetes

Key Takeaways

  • Diabetic patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) had a significantly lower risk of developing glaucoma as compared to metformin, a large retrospective study showed. 
  • The findings highlight GLP-1RAs’ potential benefits beyond glycemic (blood sugar) control.

Diabetic patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) had a 41-50% lower relative risk of developing the most common form of glaucoma (primary open-angle glaucoma, or POAG) as compared with metformin, a large retrospective study showed. A similar protective advantage for GLP-1RAs versus metformin was evident for ocular hypertension, having higher than normal pressure inside of your eye (intraocular pressure, or IOP), which is a risk factor for developing glaucoma. The findings highlight GLP-1RAs’ potential benefits beyond glycemic control, reported Iqbal Ike K. Ahmed, MD, of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and co-authors in Ophthalmology. 

“Our findings reveal that the neuroprotective actions of [GLP-1RAs], including their anti-inflammatory, antioxidative properties, potentially IOP-lowering effects, may begin to confer benefits within the first 3 years of therapy,” the authors stated. “These insights highlight the importance of incorporating GLP-1 receptor agonists into the clinical management of diabetic patients.”

The results add to a growing volume of evidence that GLP-1RAs– such as semaglutide (Ozempic) and liraglutide (Victoza) — afford glaucoma protection for patients with type 2 diabetes. Earlier this year, Danish researchers reported that second-line GLP-1RA therapy reduced the risk of glaucoma in diabetic patients by 15-20% over 3 years as compared with other second-line therapies. Also this year, Taiwanese investigators reported a significant association between a prescription for GLP-1RAs and a reduced risk of glaucoma in patients with type 2 diabetes. Another recent study showed a 44% reduction in glaucoma risk for patients exposed to a GLP-1RA versus no exposure. From a mechanistic perspective, GLP-1RAs have demonstrated neuroprotective effects in clinical and preclinical studies of neurodegenerative disorders, Ahmed and co-authors noted in their discussion. 

Edited by Miriam Kaplan, PhD

Source:

Charles Bankhead, MedPage Today, August 28, 2024; see source article