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Do Certain Diabetes Drugs Increase the Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Taking Anti-Cancer Therapies?

Glucagon-like peptide-1-receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are medications that are increasingly prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure. Reports of GLP-1RA–associated acute kidney injury (AKI) have emerged, but the risk of GLP-1RA–associated AKI among patients on anti-cancer drugs is unclear. Surprisingly, new research suggests that taking GLP-1RA is not associated with an increased risk of AKI in patients receiving anti-cancer therapies. The findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2024 October 23– 27.

For the study, investigators analyzed medical records of patients who were treated with anti-cancer medications including cytotoxic, targeted immunotherapies over a 1-year period.

Among 14,783 patients, 9% were treated with a GLP-1RA while taking anti-cancer drugs. AKI occurred in 7.2% of those exposed to GLP-1RA versus 6.4% of those with no GLP-1RA exposure.

“Given the cardiovascular and anti-diabetic benefits of GLP-IRA, we suggest that these agents can be safely continued during administration of anti-cancer therapy,” said corresponding author Swetha Rani Kanduri, MD, of Ochsner Health. “We invite prospective studies to further elaborate on the effects of GLP1-RA in patients with cancer.”

Study: “Exposure to Glucagon Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RA) Does Not Increase the Risk of AKI Associated with Anti-Cancer Therapy”

— Source: American Society of Nephrology (ASN)