Post-transplant
diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a common complication of solid
organ transplantation and a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality. Additionally, solid organ transplant patients may have pre-existent
type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While
insulin is the treatment of choice for
hyperglycemia in the first weeks after
transplantation, there is no preferred first line agent for long-term management of PTDM or pre-existent T2DM.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and
sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (
SGLT2) inhibitors improve
glycemic control, lower
body weight, and blood pressure, are recommended after lifestyle and
metformin as initial
therapy for diabetic patients with cardiovascular or kidney comorbidities regarding their cardiorenal benefits. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of GLP-1RA may counteract some of the driving forces for PTDM, as
calcineurin-induced β cell toxicity as per preclinical data, and improve
obesity. However, their use in the treatment of PTDM is currently limited by a paucity of data. Retrospective observational and small exploratory studies suggest that GLP-1RA effectively improve
glycemic control and induce
weight loss in patients with PTDM without interacting with commonly used
immunosuppressive agents, although randomized-controlled clinical trials are required to confirm their safety and efficacy. In this narrative review, we evaluate the risk factors and pathogenesis of PTDM and compare the potential roles of GLP-1RA and
SGLT2 inhibitors in PTDM prevention and management as well as in pre-existent T2DM, and providing a roadmap for evidence generation on newer
antidiabetic drugs for solid
organ transplantation.