There is a potential association between the use of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, and an increased risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), according to a study.
Researchers conducted a retrospective matched cohort study using data from 16,827 patients evaluated by neuro-ophthalmologists. Patients with no history of NAION were included.
The study analyzed 2 groups: patients with T2D and those who were overweight or obese. In the T2D group, 194 patients were prescribed semaglutide, while 516 were on other antidiabetic medications. Among those overweight or obese, 361 were prescribed semaglutide, and 618 were on other weight-loss medications.
In the T2D group, 17 NAION events occurred in the semaglutide cohort compared to 6 in the non-GLP-1 RA cohort. The cumulative incidence of NAION over 36 months was significantly higher for semaglutide users (8.9% vs 1.8%). In the overweight/obese group, 20 NAION events occurred in the semaglutide cohort compared to 3 in the non-GLP-1 RA cohort. The cumulative incidence was again higher for semaglutide users (6.7% vs 0.8%).
The researchers concluded that because of the study’s observational nature, further research is needed to establish causality.
Reference
Hathaway JT, Shah MP, Hathaway DB, et al. Risk of Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in Patients Prescribed Semaglutide. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online July 03, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.2296
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