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Study · Observational study · 2025

3 results

Potential protective role of GLP-1 receptor agonists for lithium-induced nephrotoxicity: a population-based observational study.

McIntyre RS, Kwan ATH

CNS spectrums12 Nov 2025Cited by 3 (Europe PMC)

PMID41220244 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC13076073 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1017/s1092852925100709 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-41220244
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Summary

ObjectivesWe hypothesized that semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and treatment currently U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to reduce worsening of kidney disease and kidney failure may protect against lithium-induced nephrotoxicity.MethodsRenal adverse events (AEs) reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2003 and December 2024 were analyzed using the validated OpenVigil 2.1 platform. Reporting odds ratios (RORs) were computed for the MedDRA terms renal impairment, renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and acute kidney injury (AKI) in association with lithium, semaglutide, and their co-reporting. A disproportionality signal was considered statistically significant when p 025) was greater than 0.ResultsLithium was associated with significantly elevated reporting odds across all renal AEs, with each outcome exceeding statistical signal thresholds (p 025 > 0). In contrast, semaglutide demonstrated inverse associations for renal impairment, renal failure, CKD, and ESRD (RORs = 0.25-0.54), and a neutral association for AKI (ROR = 0.96); however, none met the criteria for a disproportionality signal (IC025 < 0). Co-reported use of lithium and semaglutide did not yield a significant signal for any renal outcome, including AKI (ROR = 5.81, p = 0.015, IC025 < 0).ConclusionsThis observation, provides impetus to conduct adequate, thorough, mechanistic, clinical, and observational studies to determine whether semaglutide (and/or other incretin receptor agonists) could possibly mitigate the risk for, and/or modify the trajectory of, lithium-induced nephrotoxicity.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. 2 results from people.

  1. 01HumanObservational studySafety outcome

    In FAERS reports, semaglutide showed inverse reporting associations for renal impairment, renal failure, CKD and ESRD, and none met the criteria for a disproportionality signal.

    In plain wordsIn adverse event reports, semaglutide was linked to fewer reports of several kidney problems, and none counted as a safety signal.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseReporting of renal impairment, renal failure, CKD and ESRD with semaglutide
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Kidney function · Kidney and urinary
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    ROR
    0.25 to 0.54 NA
    semaglutide, renal impairment, renal failure, CKD, ESRD

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In contrast, semaglutide demonstrated inverse associations for renal impairment, renal failure, CKD, and ESRD (RORs = 0.25-0.54), and a neutral association for AKI (ROR = 0.96); however, none met the criteria for a disproportionality signal (IC025 < 0).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Renal adverse events (AEs) reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2003 and December 2024 were analyzed using the validated OpenVigil 2.1 platform.
    Summary · context
    Reporting odds ratios (RORs) were computed for the MedDRA terms renal impairment, renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and acute kidney injury (AKI) in association with lithium, semaglutide, and their co-reporting.
  2. 02HumanObservational studySafety outcome

    In FAERS reports, semaglutide showed a neutral association with acute kidney injury and no disproportionality signal.

    In plain wordsIn adverse event reports, semaglutide was not linked to more or fewer reports of acute kidney injury.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeReporting of acute kidney injury with semaglutide
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Kidney function · Kidney and urinary
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    ROR
    0.96 NA
    semaglutide, AKI

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In contrast, semaglutide demonstrated inverse associations for renal impairment, renal failure, CKD, and ESRD (RORs = 0.25-0.54), and a neutral association for AKI (ROR = 0.96); however, none met the criteria for a disproportionality signal (IC025 < 0).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Renal adverse events (AEs) reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2003 and December 2024 were analyzed using the validated OpenVigil 2.1 platform.
    Summary · context
    Reporting odds ratios (RORs) were computed for the MedDRA terms renal impairment, renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and acute kidney injury (AKI) in association with lithium, semaglutide, and their co-reporting.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone1

In this study, Semaglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Semaglutide.

  1. 03HumanNot a test of Semaglutide aloneObservational studySafety outcome

    In FAERS reports that named both lithium and semaglutide, no renal outcome, including acute kidney injury, gave a significant disproportionality signal.

    In plain wordsIn adverse event reports that named both lithium and semaglutide, no kidney problem showed a safety signal.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeRenal outcomes with co-reported lithium and semaglutide
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Outcome group
    Kidney function · Kidney and urinary

    Measurements

    ROR
    5.81 NA
    lithium and semaglutide co-reported, AKI

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Co-reported use of lithium and semaglutide did not yield a significant signal for any renal outcome, including AKI (ROR = 5.81, p = 0.015, IC025 < 0).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Renal adverse events (AEs) reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between December 2003 and December 2024 were analyzed using the validated OpenVigil 2.1 platform.
    Summary · context
    Reporting odds ratios (RORs) were computed for the MedDRA terms renal impairment, renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and acute kidney injury (AKI) in association with lithium, semaglutide, and their co-reporting.

    In this study, Semaglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Semaglutide.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 00:04 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:06 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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