Abstract
CONTEXT: Cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOT) of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) demonstrated reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), cardiovascular deaths (CVD), and renal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Assist in the prescribing decision regarding severity of illness and risk for adverse events. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of the major CVOT and previous meta-analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Six trials of GLP-1 RA (51 762 subjects) and 4 trials of SGLT2i (33 457 subjects) showed both drug classes reduced MACE and CVD versus controls, with neither class preferred (comparison GLP1-RA vs SGLT2i: relative rate [rr] MACE 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97, 1.22, P = ns; rr CVD 1.04, 95% CI 0.87, 1.24, P = ns). Hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) improved with SGLT2i (rr 0.68, CI 0.61, 0.76, P < 0.001) but not with GLP-1 RA, (rr 0.93, CI 0.86,1.03, P = ns). Meta-regression suggested benefits of the SGLT2i on CVD and HHF were accentuated with the underlying rate of MACE in the cohort (i.e., >10 events/1000pt*year). GLP-1 RA and SGLT2i showed reduction in renal outcomes (GLP-1 RA rr 0.83, CI 0.75, 0.91, p ≤ 0.001, SGLT2i rr 0.67, CI 0.57, 0.79, P < 0.001) without a preferential difference (GLP-1 RA vs SGLT2i, rr 1.24, CI 0.95, 1.61, P = ns; relative difference (rd) 0.005, CI -0.011, 0.021, P = ns). Serious adverse events for SGLT2i were mycotic genital infections in women (number needed to harm [NNH] = 13 and diabetic ketoacidosis NNH = 595. Gastrointestinal intolerance was the serious adverse event in the GLP1-RA class (NNH = 35). CONCLUSION: GLP-1 RA and SGLT2i classes showed similar reduction in MACE, CVD, and renal outcomes. SGLT2i have advantages over GLP-1 RA in reduction in HHF.