Association of empagliflozin treatment with changes in the metabolic score for insulin resistance in Iraqi adults with type 2 diabetes: a 6-month prospective cohort study
Abstract
Background: The metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) is an insulin-free surrogate that combines fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, body mass index, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Evidence on its responsiveness to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition is limited.
Methods: In this 6-month prospective observational cohort study, 124 adults with type 2 diabetes were enrolled at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad. Empagliflozin 10 mg/day was added to usual oral therapy in 62 patients according to routine prescribing and patient preference; 62 continued therapies without an SGLT2 inhibitor or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. Complete-case analyses included 58 and 56 participants, respectively. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in change in METS-IR.
Results: At 6 months, mean METS-IR decreased from 48.6±6.2 to 42.8±5.8 in the empagliflozin group and from 49.1±6.5 to 48.5±6.4 in controls. The reported adjusted between-group difference was −5.42 points (95% CI −6.81 to −4.03; p<0.001). Empagliflozin exposure was also associated with larger reductions in HbA1c, body weight, body mass index, and triglycerides and a larger increase in HDL cholesterol. Within the empagliflozin group, change in METS-IR correlated with changes in HbA1c (r=0.48), triglycerides (r=0.41), and body mass index (r=0.35), but not fasting plasma glucose (r=0.18).
Conclusions: Empagliflozin initiation was associated with a clinically and…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 124 participants or records.
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