Examine identifies class of diabetes medicine that cut back threat of dementia and Parkinson’s

A sure class of diabetes medicines known as sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors might serve cut back the chance of dementia and Parkinson’s illness, in keeping with a latest research.

SGLT2, additionally referred to as gliflozin, works by decreasing blood sugar ranges by serving to the kidneys take away sugar from the physique by urine. In the most recent research, revealed within the journal Neurology, researchers discovered that taking these medicine was related to a 20% diminished threat of Alzheimer’s illness, a 20% diminished threat of Parkinson’s illness, and a 30% diminished threat of growing vascular dementia, after controlling for different elements.

The retrospective research The research concerned 358,862 members with a mean age of 58 who began taking diabetes medicines between 2014 and 2019 in South Korea. Researchers in contrast members taking SGLT2 inhibitors with these taking different oral diabetes medicines to originate positive they have been of comparable age and well being standing. They then monitored the teams to see who developed dementia or Parkinson’s illness. For these taking SGLT2 inhibitors, follow-up averaged two years, and for these taking the opposite medicines, follow-up averaged four years.

Among the many 358,862 members with a mean age of 58 years, 6,837 individuals developed dementia or Parkinson’s illness in the course of the research. The evaluation discovered that individuals taking SGLT2 inhibitors have been considerably much less probably to develop Alzheimer’s illness (39.7 instances per 10,000 person-years), vascular dementia (10.6 instances) and Parkinson’s illness (9.3 instances) than individuals taking different diabetes medicines, for whom the incidence charges have been 63.7, 18.7 and 13.7 instances, respectively.

“The outcomes are typically constant, even after considering elements reminiscent of blood stress, glucose, ldl cholesterol and kidney operate. Additional analysis is required to verify the long-term validity of those outcomes,” mentioned Examine writer Dr. Minyoung Lee, Yonsei College School of Drugs in Seoul, South Korea.

Nonetheless, as a result of all members have been adopted for lower than 5 years, the research didn’t engage under consideration the likelihood that some individuals may later develop dementia or Parkinson’s illness.

“We all know that these neurodegenerative illnesses reminiscent of dementia and Parkinson’s are widespread and the variety of instances is rising because the inhabitants ages. Moreover, individuals with diabetes are at elevated threat of cognitive impairment, so it’s encouraging to see that this class of medicine might present some safety towards dementia and Parkinson’s,” added Dr. Lee.