SGLT2 (Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporters Inhibitors) are antidiabetic drugs that have progressively gained usability due to their cardiovascular and renal protective properties. SGLT1 inhibitors account for reduced uptake of dietary glucose from the intestine. Hypothetically, the combination of SGLT1/ SGLT2 should have a higher antihyperglycemic action compared to the individual inhibitors.

Recently in March 2022, a network meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate and highlight the treatment outcome between SGLT2 and combined SGLT1/2. The data for network analysis was collected from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus divided into type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus cases. These electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials from its outset till January 15, 2022.

The analysis included 1.03 lakh patients and 111 articles. The study highlighted that SGLT2 inhibitors promoted a greater reduction in hemoglobin A1c reduction compared to SGLT1/2 inhibitors (0.16%). In patients with type 2 diabetes, the risk of diarrhea and hypoglycemia was found to be lesser in the case of SGLT2 inhibitors rather than in the SGLT1/2 inhibitor combination. 

Source: Teo Y.N., Teo Y.H., et al., Am J Cardiovasc Drugs, 2022