Effects of combination therapy with empagliflozin and metformin on interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 secretion in type 2 diabetes patients
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is defined by persistent inflammatory processes. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of empagliflozin in combination with metformin therapy in patients with T2D.
In this prospective cohort study, 50 individuals with type 2 diabetes were non-randomly assigned to receive metformin (MTF, n = 25) or empagliflozin (10 mg/day) and metformin (EMPA+MTF, n = 25) and followed for 6 months. Fasting blood glucose (FPG), HbA1c, body mass index (BMI), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and urinary albumin were measured at baseline and then 6 months later. Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion from isolated and stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured using ELISA and compared in the different study groups.
The MTF+EMPA group showed significantly decreased levels of FPG, HbA1C, and body mass index compared to the baseline. FPG and HbA1c in the MTF+EMPA group showed a significant decrease six months after treatment versus the MTF group. A significant reduction in IL-1β levels was observed at the six months post-treatment compared to baseline and in relation to the MTF group after six months. The levels of IL-6 exhibited no significant differences, both within and between the study groups. Significant direct correlations were observed between IL-1β levels and FPG as well as HbA1c within the MTF+EMPA group following six months of treatment.
Incorporating empagliflozin (10 mg/day) into metformin treatment markedly enhanced glycemic regulation and lowered IL-1β secretions, indicating a possible anti-inflammatory benefit in overweight individuals with T2D following six months of treatment.
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| Empagliflozin Interleukin-1Beta Interleukin-6 Metformin Type 2 diabetes | ||
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