Objective: To assess the association between use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) using data from the National Health Insurance Service in South Korea.
Research Designs and Methods: We used an active comparator, new user design and nationwide data from 2014 to 2017. Based on a 1:1 propensity score match, we included 47 369 new users of SGLT2 inhibitors and 47 369 users of other glucose-lowering drugs (oGLD). The mean follow-up time for the primary intention-to-treat analysis was 2.57 years. We used the Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for RVO. Based on the main outcome, a prespecified subgroup analysis was undertaken.
Results: During follow-up of 2.57 years, the incidence rate of RVO was 2.19 and 1.79 per 1000 person-years in patients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors and oGLD, respectively. The use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with an increased risk of RVO compared with oGLD use (HR 1.264, 95% CI 1.056-1.513). In the subgroup analyses, a significant interaction with SGLT2 inhibitors was observed for age and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); the HR for RVO was higher in patients aged ≥60 years and those with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m2 than in others.
Conclusions: In a matched cohort study, we found that SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a significantly increased risk of RVO. The elderly and patients with chronic kidney disease were at higher risk for RVO.
M. Lee: None. K. Han: None. H. Kwon: None. Y. Roh: None.
