Tadalafil use is associated with a lower incidence of Type 2 diabetes in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: A population-based cohort study

Background

Tadalafil, commonly prescribed for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), may benefit patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for glycemic markers and complications. However, the association between the long-term use of tadalafil and the incidence of T2DM has not been investigated.

Methods

We emulated a target trial of tadalafil use (5 mg/day) and the risk of T2DM using a population-based claims database in Japan. Patients who initiated tadalafil or alpha-blockers for BPH and had no history of diabetes diagnosis, no dispensing of glucose-lowering drugs, and no history of hemoglobin A1c levels of ≥6.5% (47–48 mmol/mol) were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of T2DM. Pooled logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 5-year cumulative incidence differences (CIDs).

Results

A total of 5180 participants initiated tadalafil treatment and were compared with 20,049 patients who initiated alpha-blockers. The median follow-up time for each arm was 27.2 months (interquartile range [IQR], 12.0–47.9) in tadalafil users and 31.3 months (IQR, 13.7–57.2) in alpha-blocker users. The incidence rates of T2DM in tadalafil and alpha-blocker users were 5.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.0–7.2) and 8.8 (95% CI, 7.8–9.8) per 1000-person years, respectively. Initiation of tadalafil was associated with a reduced risk of T2DM (RR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.39–0.62; 5-year CID, −0.031; 95% CI, −0.040 to −0.019).

Conclusion

The incidence of T2DM was lower in men with BPH treated with tadalafil than in those treated with alpha-blockers. Thus, tadalafil may be more beneficial than alpha-blockers in preventing T2DM.