A recent study from the University of Hong Kong has found that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), a new type of drug for lowering blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, may have added benefits beyond blood sugar control.
Researchers discovered that SGLT2i could help lower the risks of serious kidney and respiratory issues, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD), obstructive airway disease (OAD), and pneumonia.
Type 2 diabetes is commonly treated with glucose-lowering drugs, and SGLT2i has emerged as a new option, showing benefits for heart and kidney health in recent years.
This study offers additional, real-world evidence that SGLT2i might be more effective than an older type of diabetes medication, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i), in protecting kidney and lung health.
To understand the impact of SGLT2i on kidney and lung health, the research team analyzed data from more than 30,000 people with type 2 diabetes in Hong Kong.
They found that patients taking SGLT2i had significantly lower risks of developing severe kidney problems, such as ESRD, compared to those on DPP4i. The findings confirmed earlier studies and provided real-world evidence supporting the kidney-protective effects of SGLT2i.
The researchers also observed that SGLT2i users had a reduced risk of several lung conditions, including OAD and pneumonia.
While the mechanism for these lung-protective effects isn’t fully understood, the researchers recommend clinical trials to further investigate the respiratory benefits of SGLT2i.
These findings suggest that SGLT2i may be a better treatment choice than DPP4i for people with type 2 diabetes, especially those concerned about kidney and lung health.
Given the added potential benefits, SGLT2i could play a key role in protecting patients from both kidney and respiratory complications often associated with diabetes.
This study, led by Dr. Cheung Ching-lung, was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and JAMA Network Open, marking an important step in understanding the broader health impacts of newer diabetes treatments.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about high vitamin D level linked to lower dementia risk in type 2 diabetes, and this eating habit could help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about unhealthy plant-based diets linked to metabolic syndrome, and results showing Mediterranean diet could help reduce the diabetes risk by 30%.
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