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Autoimmunity

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of autoimmune disease

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 21, page 698 (2025)Cite this article

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Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, originally developed for glycaemic control, are increasingly recognized for providing multisystem benefits, including cardiovascular and renal protection. A new population-based study suggests that these drugs also reduce the risk of autoimmune rheumatic diseases in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Using a nationwide health insurance database in South Korea (2012–2022), the investigators compared more than 2 million adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who initiated either an SGLT2 inhibitor (n = 552,065) or sulfonylurea (n = 1,480,092). Autoimmune rheumatic diseases were defined as a composite of inflammatory arthritis — including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis — and systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases — including systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren disease, systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyalgia rheumatica and vasculitides.

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  • Karacabeyli, D. & Lacaille, D. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in arthritis: current insights and future directions. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. 21, 671–683 (2025)

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  1. Nature Reviews Rheumatology http://www.nature.com/nrrheum/

    Jessica McHugh

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  1. Jessica McHugh
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Correspondence to Jessica McHugh.

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McHugh, J. SGLT2 inhibitors reduce risk of autoimmune disease. Nat Rev Rheumatol 21, 698 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-025-01325-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-025-01325-7

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