Use of semaglutide and risk of non‐arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: A Danish–Norwegian cohort study
Authors' conclusion
The use of semaglutide for managing type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of NAION compared with the use of SGLT-2is. However, the absolute risk remains low.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with T2D initiating semaglutide or SGLT2i, national registries in Denmark (2018–2024) and Norway (2018–2022)32 NAION events
- Exposure
- Semaglutide vs SGLT2i initiation
- Outcome
- NAION risk
Methodological detailsnational health registries, Danish–Norwegian, new-user active comparator, fixed-effects pooling
- National health registries
- Danish–Norwegian
- New-user active comparator
- Fixed-effects pooling
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
NAION
Pooled adjusted HR, semaglutide vs SGLT-2i initiators
2.81
95% CI 1.67–4.75
Pooled adjusted incidence rate difference (IRD) per 10 000 person-years
+1.41
95% CI +0.53 to +2.29
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Unadjusted NAION incidence rate, Denmark · unadjusted
Unadjusted NAION incidence rate, Norway · unadjusted
NAION by country
- Norway HR
- 7.25 (95% CI 2.34-22.4)
- Denmark HR
- 2.17 (95% CI 1.20-3.92)
- Estimates consistent across both countries but higher and less precise in Norway
NAION, post hoc per-protocol analysis
- HR
- 6.35 (95% CI 2.88-14.0)
- Post hoc per-protocol analysis
NAION, supplementary self-controlled analysis among semaglutide users
- Symmetry ratio, Denmark
- 1.14 (95% CI 0.55-2.36)
- Symmetry ratio, Norway
- 2.67 (95% CI 0.91-8.99)
Original publication
Use of semaglutide and risk of non‐arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: A Danish–Norwegian cohort study. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 17 March 2025. doi:10.
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