Dafna Bar-Sagi, PhD Executive Vice President and Vice Dean for Science, Chief Scientific Officer | NYU Langone Hassenfeld Children's Hospital
Dafna Bar-Sagi, PhD Executive Vice President and Vice Dean for Science, Chief Scientific Officer | NYU Langone Hassenfeld Children's Hospital
Kidney transplant recipients with type 2 diabetes have shown improved outcomes when treated with a new class of anti-obesity drugs, according to a recent study led by researchers at NYU Langone Health. The study indicates that these medications, known as GLP-1 agonists, can reduce the risk of organ failure and increase survival rates.
The research involved reviewing medical records of 18,016 kidney transplant recipients in the United States who had pretransplant diabetes between 2013 and 2020. Among them, 1,916 patients were prescribed GLP-1 agonists such as semaglutide, liraglutide, and dulaglutide. These drugs are marketed under names like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Study findings revealed that those on GLP-1 agonists were 49% less likely to experience organ failure compared to those not on the medication. Furthermore, there was a 31% reduction in mortality risk within five years for patients taking these drugs.
Dr. Babak J. Orandi, lead investigator of the study and an associate professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, stated: “Our study results are the strongest evidence to date that GLP-1 agonist drugs are largely safe and effective tools for addressing type 2 diabetes in kidney transplant recipients.”
Despite the positive outcomes related to organ failure and survival rates, the study noted an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy among patients using GLP-1s. Dr. Mara McAdams-DeMarco highlighted this concern: “Our findings also show that while the benefits of GLP-1 drugs are significant, their use does come with some added risk of diabetic retinopathy.”
The study utilized data from various sources including the U.S. Renal Data System and emphasized the need for further research into how GLP-1 agonists enhance kidney health post-transplantation.
Type 2 diabetes remains a leading cause of end-stage kidney disease in America. Funding for this research was provided by several National Institutes of Health grants.
Several NYU researchers contributed to this study alongside Dr. Orandi and Dr. McAdams-DeMarco, including Yui Chen, Yiting Li, Garyn Metoyer, Michael Weintraub, Sunjae Bae, Nicole Ali, Bonnie Lonzo, Christine Ren-Fielding, Holly Lofton, Akash Gujral, Dorry L. Segev from NYU Langone Health; Krista Lentine from Saint Louis University also participated.
Conflicts of interest were disclosed by some researchers but did not influence this particular study's outcome or conclusions.
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