Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 1/2 inhibition and risk of neurodegenerative disorders: A Mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction This study aims to evaluate the effects of sodium‐glucose cotransporter 1 inhibitors (SGLT1i) and sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on neurodegenerative disorders and to investigate the role of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Methods Utilizing drug target Mendelian randomization, we employed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) proximal to the SLC5A1 and SLC5A2 genes to analyze the influence of SGLT1i and SGLT2i on Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a positive control. An additional analysis examined the impact of HbA1c levels on the same disorders. Results SGLT1i exhibited a significant association with decreased risk for ALS and MS. Conversely, SGLT2i were linked to an increased risk of AD, PD, and MS. Elevated HbA1c levels, independent of SGLT1 and SGLT2 effects, were associated with an increased risk of PD. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these findings. Conclusion Our study suggests that SGLT1i may confer protection against ALS and MS, whereas SGLT2i could elevate the risk of AD, PD, and MS. Additionally, elevated HbA1c levels emerged as a risk factor for PD. These findings underscore the importance of personalized approaches in the utilization of SGLT inhibitors, considering their varying impacts on the risks of neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords

• drug target
• hemoglobin A1c
• Mendelian randomization
• neurodegenerative disorders
• sodium‐glucose cotransporter