← GLP-1 receptor agonists × adverse events & safety

Observational studyBMJ open diabetes research & care2025

Semaglutide and diabetic retinopathy: an OHDSI network study.

Cindy Xinji Cai et al.PubMed ↗Full text ↗Publisher ↗

  • Semaglutideno clear effectNo clear link with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, no clear link with treatment-requiring diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema.Correlation only, not a test of it.

What moved togetherboth groups pooled, not the treatment’s effect

Correlation · may be no link

No clear link with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

−19%−58% to +54%

semaglutide vs dulaglutide

Bigger than 5 in 10 for adverse events & safety

As reported

HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.42–1.54

Correlation · may be no link

No clear link with treatment-requiring diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema

−34%−57% to +2%

semaglutide vs empagliflozin

Bigger than 7 in 10 for adverse events & safety

As reported

HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43–1.02

Who was studied, and how

people with type 2 diabetes, in this paper

Already taking semaglutide, or nottheir own situation, not assigned

on semaglutide
dulaglutide

No clear link with proliferative diabetic retinopathy−19%

No clear link with treatment-requiring diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema−34%

correlation, not a test

the abstract, start to end

… was similar to dulaglutide (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.54, p=0.51), …

… was similar to empagliflozin (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.02, p=0.06) …

← favours treatmentfavours comparator →
could be chance
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR)semaglutide vs dulaglutide
HR 0.810.42–1.54
Treatment-requiring diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema (DR/DME)semaglutide vs empagliflozin
HR 0.660.43–1.02
GLP-1 receptor agonistsAdverse events & safety
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4 papers cite it

2025
2026
this papercites it
Full record →Abstract, authors, funding and every citing paper · PMID 41192935