Cardiovascular outcomes in CLL patients receiving GLP-1 agonists and  BTK inhibitors: A global propensity-matched study

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) are becoming the preferred treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), taking the place of novel chemoimmunotherapies. While these medications significantly improve both progression-free and overall survival, they are also linked to various adverse effects, including cardiovascular toxicity. In contrast, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists have shown benefits for patients with diabetes mellitus who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Studies indicate that these drugs not only improve glycemic control but also lead to a reduction in the incidence of major cardiovascular events. This study aimed to assess the incidence of cardiovascular events and overall survival among CLL patients receiving BTK inhibitors who were also taking GLP-1 agonists for diabetes mellitus and/or obesity, compared to diabetic or obese CLL patients on BTK inhibitors not receiving GLP-1 agonists. METHODS: We utilized the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network to identify patients with CLL who are being treated with BTKis such as ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, or zanubrutinib, and who also had diabetes mellitus and/or obesity. Cohorts were formed based on the use of GLP-1 agonists. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for potential confounders, including age, gender, ethnicity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and end-stage renal disease. Outcomes such as all causes of mortality, atrial fibrillation/flutter, acute heart failure, and acute ischemic heart disease were evaluated within one year of initiating GLP-1 agonist therapy. Risk differences (RD), risk ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed, and the log-rank test was used to compare survival probability between groups. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 844 patients with CLL were included in the study, with 422 patients in each propensity-matched cohort. The incidence of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter was significantly lower among patients receiving concurrent BTKis and GLP-1 agonists compared to those on BTKis alone (12.08% vs. 17.29%; RD –5.21%; p= 0.03; RR 0.699, 95% CI: 0.502% to 0.973%). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly lower cumulative incidence of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter at 365 days in the GLP-1 agonist cohort compared to non-users (log-rank test, p = 0.0245), indicating a higher atrial fibrillation–free survival probability among GLP-1 users. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in the incidence of ischemic heart disease (27.48% vs. 23.46%; RD 4.08%; p= 0.17; RR 1.172, 95% CI: 0.929% to 1.477%) or heart failure (13.27% vs. 13.27%; RD 0%; p= 1; RR 1, 95% CI: 0.708% to 1.412%). Although not statistically significant, a trend toward lower all-cause mortality was observed in patients receiving concurrent BTK inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists compared to those on BTK inhibitors alone (4.976% vs. 8.294%; risk difference –3.31%; p = 0.052; relative risk 0.6, 95% CI: 0.355 to 1.013; Kaplan–Meier analysis, log-rank test p = 0.055). A large cohort is needed to confirm this last finding. CONCLUSION: The use of GLP-1 agonists was associated with a significantly reduced incidence of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter and a trend toward improved overall survival in diabetic or obese CLL patients receiving BTK inhibitors. These findings suggest a potential cardioprotective effect of GLP-1 agonists in this high-risk population. However, further prospective cohort studies or randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm these observations.