Semaglutide Linked to Reduced Risk for Alzheimer Diagnosis in T2DM

FRIDAY, Nov. 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, semaglutide is associated with a reduced risk for a first-time Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis compared with other antidiabetic medications, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in Alzheimer's & Dementia.

William Wang, from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, and colleagues conducted emulation target trials based on a nationwide database of electronic health records for 116 million U.S. patients. Semaglutide was compared to seven other antidiabetic medications in seven target trials emulated among 1,094,761 eligible patients with type 2 diabetes without a prior AD diagnosis. A first-ever diagnosis of AD within a three-year follow-up period was examined.

The researchers found a significant reduction in the risk for a first-time AD diagnosis in association with semaglutide, with the strongest reduction compared with insulin and the weakest compared with other glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists (hazard ratios, 0.33 and 0.59, respectively). Across obesity status, gender, and age groups, similar results were seen.

"Additional preclinical and clinical studies are needed to shed light on the mechanisms of the potential benefits of semaglutide in preventing or delaying the onset of AD and establish causal effects through randomized trials," the authors write.

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