SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of autoimmune disease

Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, originally developed for glycaemic control, are increasingly recognized for providing multisystem benefits, including cardiovascular and renal protection. A new population-based study suggests that these drugs also reduce the risk of autoimmune rheumatic diseases in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Using a nationwide health insurance database in South Korea (2012–2022), the investigators compared more than 2 million adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who initiated either an SGLT2 inhibitor (n = 552,065) or sulfonylurea (n = 1,480,092). Autoimmune rheumatic diseases were defined as a composite of inflammatory arthritis — including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis — and systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases — including systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren disease, systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and vasculitides.