Evaluating GLP-1 receptor agonists versus metformin as first-line therapy for reducing dementia risk in type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Introduction No direct comparisons have evaluated glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) versus metformin as first-line antidiabetic therapy for preventing dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to assess the comparative effectiveness of GLP-1 RAs and metformin in reducing dementia risk. Research design and methods This retrospective cohort study used data from a global health research network between 2004 and 2024. Patients with T2DM initiating GLP-1 RAs or metformin as first-line monotherapy were included. Propensity score matching was employed to balance baseline characteristics. Dementia incidence was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models, with sensitivity analyses to confirm robustness. Results Among 87,229 matched patients per cohort, GLP-1 RA use was associated with a significantly lower risk of overall dementia (adjusted HR (AHR) 0.90; 95% CI 0.85 to 0.95), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (AHR 0.88; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.94), and non-vascular dementias (non-VaDs) (AHR 0.75; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.81) compared with metformin. No significant difference was observed for VaD. Subgroup analyses showed consistent benefit across age and sex, with the strongest effect among older adults and females. Conclusions GLP-1 RAs were more effective than metformin in reducing the risk of dementia - especially AD and non-vascular types - highlighting their potential as a preferred first-line treatment in T2DM. Further randomized trials are warranted to validate these findings.