ARIADNE is a prospective observational cohort study of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with daily metformin and scheduled to initiate treatment with newer antidiabetic agents, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2 inhibitors) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). These newer antidiabetic agents have demonstrated significant benefits in improving glycaemic control; however, some studies suggest that their rapid glucose-lowering effects may be associated with transient worsening or progression of retinal complications.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of newer antidiabetic agents on retinal vasculature and visual acuity, and to investigate how these changes are associated with alterations in markers of peripheral endothelial and cardiovascular function.