Do SGLT2 inhibitors prevent preclinical diabetic retinopathy? A Prospective Pilot Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of metformin alone and combined treatment with metformin and an SGLT2 inhibitor on retinal microvascular morphology using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in isolated type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with HbA1c above the expected target (>7%). Methods: Fifty patients with isolated DM, 7% Results: HbA1c was lower on the second evaluation in both groups (P<0.001, in both). On the second evaluation in group-1, a decrease was found in superficial perifoveal and deep parafoveal macular vascular plexus densities (P: 0.040 and P: 0.020, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed in group-2. Conclusion: SGLT2 inhibitors may contribute to preventing the development of preclinical DR. In patients with metformin intolerance, adding SGLT2 inhibitors may be a reasonable choice to protect the retina.