AAO: Diabetic retinopathy usually no worse with semaglutide in T2D

For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, most eyes have no worsening of diabetic retinopathy (DR) after initiation of semaglutide, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, held from Nov. 3 to 6 in San Francisco.

Zeeshan Haq, M.D., from Retina Consultants of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues examined changes in DR status after semaglutide initiation in a retrospective case series involving patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who initiated semaglutide between January 2013 and December 2021. A total of 96,432 eyes were included.

The researchers found that at baseline, 71.8, 18.4, and 9.8 percent of eyes had no or background DR, mild or moderate nonproliferative DR (NPDR), and severe NPDR or proliferative DR (PDR), respectively. At three, six, 12, and 24 months, 1.3, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.2 percent of eyes with no or background DR, respectively, had a worsening in their status; the corresponding proportions were 2.4, 3.0, 3.4, and 3.5 percent among eyes with mild or moderate NPDR. Improvement in DR status was recorded in 40.0, 37.8, 47.7, and 58.7 percent of eyes with severe NPDR or PDR at three, six, 12, and 24 months, respectively.

"The impact of semaglutide initiation on short- and long-term outcomes in potentially high-risk patients, such as those with severe nonproliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, should be investigated further," Haq said in a statement. "Ultimately, diabetic patients who are considering semaglutide should consult with their primary and eye care providers regarding their individual situation."