Diabetes Care

Do SGLT-2 inhibitors lower risk of epilepsy in T2DM?

April 30, 2025

Study details: This population-based study utilized target trial emulation to compare the incidence of epilepsy among new users of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) in patients with T2DM. Data were sourced from the Yinzhou Regional Health Care Database, including 24,930 SGLT-2i users and 28,924 DPP-4i users.

Results: During a median follow-up of 2.0 years, 243 patients developed epilepsy, with an incidence of 174.2 per 100,000 person-years in SGLT-2i users and 231.5 per 100,000 person-years in DPP-4i users. After adjusting for confounders, SGLT-2i use was associated with a significantly lower incidence of epilepsy (hazard ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.97). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses supported the findings.

Clinical impact: SGLT-2is are associated with a reduced incidence of epilepsy in patients with T2DM. This finding highlights a potential neuroprotective effect of SGLT-2is, warranting further research to confirm and replicate these results in broader populations.

Source:

Zhao H, et al. (2025, May 1). Diabetes Care. Association Between Use of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Epilepsy: A Population-Based Study Using Target Trial Emulation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40131448/