New Study Links GLP-1s to Hair Loss

Emerging evidence has suggested GLP-1 drug use may be associated with hair loss.A target trial emulation of adults with diabetes found that GLP-1 drugs were linked to a higher risk of hair loss compared with other diabetes medications.The absolute risk of alopecia associated with GLP-1 receptor agonist use was low.

Adults with type 2 diabetes who used a GLP-1 receptor agonist had an increased risk of clinically recorded hair loss, data from a target trial emulation suggested.

Compared with other antidiabetic medications, GLP-1 drug use was associated with a higher overall risk of alopecia over an average follow-up of 2.7 years, after adjusting for baseline differences:Versus SGLT-2 inhibitors: HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.08-1.73Versus DPP-4 inhibitors: HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.28-2.20

Associations were consistent across subgroup and sensitivity analyses, reported Yong Chen, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and colleagues in The BMJ.

"Although the absolute risk of clinically recorded alopecia associated with GLP-1 receptor agonist use is low, the observed association may still influence patients' satisfaction, adherence, and decisions to start or continue therapy," Chen and co-authors wrote.