Empagliflozin improves bone density and reduces fractures in diabetic osteoporosis patients

Empagliflozin, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, significantly improves glucose control, bone mineral density, and calcium-phosphorus metabolism in diabetic osteoporosis patients, leading to a substantial reduction in fracture risk, according to a study.

The study included 100 participants with diabetic osteoporosis. Patients were randomly divided to receive Empagliflozin alongside symptomatic care (n = 50) or only symptomatic treatment (n = 50). Over a 6-month period, key metrics such as fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose, HbA1c, bone mineral density (BMD), and serum calcium and phosphorus levels were measured. Fracture incidence was tracked over a 12-month period.

The intervention group had significantly better glucose control, with lower FBG, postprandial glucose, and HbA1c levels (P < 0.001). Improvements in BMD, calcium, and phosphorus levels were also observed (P < 0.001). The fracture rate in the intervention group was 2% compared to 16.33% in the control group after 12 months (P < 0.05).

Reference
Tan J, Guo A, Zhang K, et al. The effect of empagliflozin (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor) on osteoporosis and glycemic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024;25(1):793. doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-07900-5. PMID: 39375646; PMCID: PMC11460138.