Long-term observational study on the impact of GLP-1R agonists on lung function in diabetic patients

Introduction: Preclinical research suggests a role of Glucagon Like Peptide-1 Receptors (GLP-1R) on the regulation of human bronchial tone. We investigated the effect of GLP-1R agonists on lung function of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) population without co-existing chronic obstructive respiratory disorders. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study that examined change in lung function measurements over two years of T2DM patients (n = 32) treated with metformin monotherapy (control cohort), metformin plus GLP-1R agonists (GLP-1R agonists cohort), or metformin plus insulin (insulin cohort). Results: After 24 months of treatment, the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) significantly (p < 0.05) increased from baseline in the GLP-1R agonists cohort (218 ml [95%CI 88–246]), but not in the control and insulin cohorts (94 ml [95%CI -28 – 216] and 26 ml [95%CI -174 – 226], respectively; p > 0.05 vs. baseline). The average increase in FEV1 in the GLP-1R agonists cohort was significantly greater than that in the control and insulin cohorts (delta: 110 ml [95%CI 18–202] and 177 ml [95%CI 85–270], respectively, p < 0.05). The forced vital capacity (FVC) also increased significantly more in the GLP-1R agonists cohort than in the control and insulin cohorts (overall delta FVC: 183 ml [95%CI 72–295], p < 0.05). The maximal expiratory flow at 50–75% significantly (p < 0.05) improved from baseline in the GLP-1R agonists cohort, but not in the control and insulin cohorts (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggest a potential new therapeutic perspective to treat airway disorders with GLP-1R agonists.