Key result
SGLT2 inhibitor-induced modest blood pressure reductions in real-world observational studies are subject to methodological limitations, including measurement standardization and regression to the mean
This editorial highlights methodological considerations, such as measurement standardization and regression to the mean, when interpreting modest blood pressure reductions following SGLT2 inhibitor initiation in real-world studies.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have demonstrated modest blood pressure-lowering effects in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The recent real-world analysis by Ito et al. investigated blood pressure changes after SGLT2 inhibitor initiation in individuals not receiving antihypertensive therapy. While the study provides valuable observational data, several methodological and interpretative issues deserve further discussion. These include limitations related to blood pressure measurement standardization, the clinical relevance of the reported effect size, and potential statistical phenomena such as regression to the mean. Additionally, the explanatory capacity of the regression model appears limited, suggesting that important determinants of blood pressure response were not captured. Addressing these considerations may improve the interpretation of real-world studies evaluating cardiovascular effects of glucose-lowering therapies.
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Şahin et al. (2026) studied this question. SGLT2 inhibitor-induced modest blood pressure reductions in real-world observational studies are subject to methodological limitations, including measurement standardization and regression to the mean.
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