Evidence mapPaperPMID 42591093Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2026

Effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on body composition and potential sarcopenia-related outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a network meta-analysis.

Xiaona Li, Yanrui Zhang, Luxun Wang, Yuanyuan Zhao

Abstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Xiaona LiDepartment of Pharmacy, Yellow River Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
Yanrui ZhangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Yellow River Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
Luxun WangDepartment of Pharmacy, Yellow River Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
Yuanyuan ZhaoDepartment of Pharmacy, Yellow River Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Although Sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors provide substantial cardiovascular and renal benefits in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), their effects on sarcopenia-related body composition outcomes remain uncertain. Methods: Eight databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling adults with T2DM that compared SGLT2 inhibitors with placebo or other glucose-lowering therapies, with a minimum follow-up of 12 weeks. A frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis was conducted. Primary outcomes were skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and lean mass (LM). Secondary outcomes included fat mass (FM), body fat percentage (PBF), visceral and subcutaneous fat, anthropometric measures, and safety outcomes. Results: Thirty-three RCTs involving 5,399 participants were included. No SGLT2 inhibitor significantly reduced SMM compared with placebo (all 95% confidence intervals crossed zero). For LM, empagliflozin (mean difference [MD] -1.22 kg, 95% CI -1.71 to -0.72), ipragliflozin (MD -0.99 kg, 95% CI -1.45 to -0.54), and canagliflozin (MD -0.80 kg, 95% CI -1.39 to -0.21) were associated with modest reductions in LM compared with placebo, whereas dapagliflozin and tofogliflozin showed neutral effects. In contrast, SGLT2 inhibitors consistently reduced FM (e.g., dapagliflozin MD -1.75 kg, 95% CI -2.63 to -0.87), PBF, visceral and subcutaneous fat, body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC). Safety analyses were limited by sparse networks and should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusion: In adults with T2DM, SGLT2 inhibitors reduce adiposity without clear evidence of clinically meaningful reductions in SMM. However, because muscle strength and physical performance outcomes were rarely reported, the current evidence is insufficient to determine the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors on sarcopenia risk. Findings for LM should be interpreted cautiously, as LM does not directly reflect muscle mass. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD420261379719.

Indexed as

Body CompositionDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2SarcopeniaSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 InhibitorsHumansMuscle, SkeletalRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSodium-Glucose Transporter 2 Inhibitorsbody compositionLEAN MASSsarcopeniaskeletal muscle masssodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitorstype 2 diabetes mellitus

Identifiers

PMID42591093
PMCPMC13461395

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.