Commentary: Mortality Risk of Antidiabetic Agents for Type 2 Diabetes With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

SGLT2 Inhibitors in Long COVID Syndrome: Is There a Potential Role?

The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 has turned into a pandemic causing a global public health crisis. While acute COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system and can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, an association with persistent inflammatory stress affecting different organ systems has been elucidated in long COVID syndrome (LCS). Increased severity and mortality rates have been reported due to cardiophysiological and metabolic systemic disorders as well as multiorgan failure in COVID-19, additionally accompanied by chronic dyspnea and fatigue in LCS. Hence, novel therapies have been tested to improve the outcomes of LCS of which one potential candidate might be sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. The aim of this narrative review was to discuss rationales for investigating SGLT2 inhibitor therapy in people suffering from LCS. In this regard, we discuss their potential positive effects-next to the well described "cardio-renal-metabolic" conditions-with a focus on potential anti-inflammatory and beneficial systemic effects in LCS. However, potential beneficial as well as potential disadvantageous effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on the prevalence and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 will need to be established in ongoing research.

Association of Glucose-Lowering Drugs With Outcomes in Patients With Diabetes Before Hospitalization for COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Patients with COVID-19 have a high prevalence of diabetes, and diabetes and blood glucose control are determinants of intensive care unit admission and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between COVID-19-related adverse outcomes and 8 antihyperglycemic drugs in patients with diabetes who were subsequently diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19.

DATA SOURCES

Data were retrieved and collected in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from database inception to September 5, 2022.

STUDY SELECTION

For this systematic review and network meta-analysis, randomized clinical trials and observational studies conducted among patients with diabetes while receiving glucose-lowering therapies for at least 14 days before the confirmation of COVID-19 infection were included after blinded review by 2 independent reviewers and consultations of disagreement by a third independent reviewer. Of 1802 studies initially identified, 31 observational studies met the criteria for further analysis.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

This study follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guideline. Bayesian network meta-analyses were performed with random effects.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

A composite adverse outcome, including the need for intensive care unit admission, invasive and noninvasive mechanical ventilation, or in-hospital death.

RESULTS

Thirty-one distinct observational studies (3 689 010 patients with diabetes hospitalized for COVID-19) were included. The sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) were associated with relatively lower risks of adverse outcomes compared with insulin (log of odds ratio [logOR], 0.91; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.57-1.26), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (logOR, 0.61; 95% CrI, 0.28-0.93), secretagogues (logOR, 0.37; 95% CrI, 0.02-0.72), and glucosidase inhibitors (logOR, 0.50; 95% CrI, 0.00-1.01). Based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curves value, SGLT-2is were associated with the lowest probability for adverse outcomes (6%), followed by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (25%) and metformin (28%). A sensitivity analysis revealed that the study was reliable.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that the use of an SGLT-2i before COVID-19 infection is associated with lower COVID-19-related adverse outcomes. In addition to SGLT-2is, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and metformin were also associated with relatively low risk of adverse outcomes.