Odds of vertebral compression fractures or surgical intervention were significantly lower among GLP-1 RA users
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may protect against vertebral fractures in people with diabetes, according to a research letter published online Dec. 10 in JAMA Surgery.
Wei-Thing Khor, M.D., from the College of Medicine at the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, and colleagues assessed the association between GLP-1 RAs and vertebral fractures and related procedures among patients with type 2 diabetes. The analysis included deidentified medical records from 193,563 propensity-matched users and nonusers, identified from the TriNetX database.
The researchers found that GLP-1 RA use was associated with significantly lower odds of vertebral compression fractures compared with nonuse (incidence, 1.5 versus 1.8 percent; odds ratio [OR], 0.83). Similarly, the odds of requiring surgical intervention, such as vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, were significantly lower with GLP-1 RA use (incidence, 0.08 versus 0.10 percent; OR, 0.80).
“These findings support a potential bone protective role of GLP-1 RAs and underscore the need for prospective studies to confirm causality and elucidate underlying mechanisms,” the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Socioeconomic Status Linked to Mortality After Acute Hip Fracture Surgery 
Spinal Cord Stimulation Cuts Pain, Improves Sensation With Diabetic Nerve Damage 
Study IDs Risk Factors for Ketoacidosis in Adults With T2D Receiving SGLT2 Inhibitors 
Genetics, Diabetes Tied to MASLD-Associated Cirrhosis Before Age 50 
Family History of CRC Increases CRC Risk Similarly in IBD, General Population 
Relapse Rare After Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma Resection 
Long-Term Medication Adherence Tied to Lower Cardiovascular Event Rate in Type 2 Diabetes 
Study IDs Dementia Risk Factors in Those Older Than 90 Years 
