“We know that these neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Parkinson’s disease are common and the number of cases is growing as the population ages, and people with diabetes are at increased risk of cognitive impairment, so it’s encouraging to see that this class of drugs may provide some protection against dementia and Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Minyoung Lee, MD, PhD, of Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, in a press release.
The study investigated how sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, known as gliflozins, affect the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions among patients with type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood sugar by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar created by the body, which is then removed through urine.
Research shows that SGLT2 inhibitors may benefit neurological conditions by reducing cardiovascular risk factors, and augmenting ketogenesis and anti-inflammatory pathways. Until now, how these drugs affect the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions in patients with type 2 diabates has remained relatively unclear.
For the current study, researchers examined healthcare data from 358, 862 participants with type 2 diabetes who started taking diabetes medication from 2014 to 2019 in South Korea. Participants were an average of 57.8 years old, and 58% were male. Those taking SGLT2 inhibitors were matched with participants taking other oral diabetes drugs. Those taking SGLT2 inhibitors were followed for an average of 2 years, and those taking other drugs were followed for an average of four years.
Ultimately 6, 837 participants developed dementia or Parkinson’s disease during the study. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the researchers found that use of SGLT2 inhibitors was linked to a 20% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a 20% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, and a 30% lower risk of vascular dementia.
“The results are generally consistent even after adjusting for factors like blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and kidney function. More research is needed to validate the long-term validity of these findings,” said Lee.
Lee added that as participants were followed for just a few years, it’s possible that some would develop dementia or Parkinson’s disease later on.
Sources: EurekAlert, Neurology
