Virginia Via Research Day Book 2026

Medical Student Research Biomedical

Virk, Ranjir, BS, OMS-II; Downing, Dawson BS, MPH, OMS-II; Hamrahian, Seyed, BS, OMS-II; Iftikhar, Waleed BS, MABS, OMS-II; Reilly, Chris PhD Corresponding author: rvirk@vcom.edu, ddowning@vt.vcom.edu, shamrahian@vt.vcom.edu, wiftikhar@vt.vcom.edu 08 ASCERTAINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GLP-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS IN ACHIEVING POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

VCOM-Virginia, Blacksburg, Virginia

demonstrated that liraglutide increased IL-22 producing innate lymphoid cells, strengthened epithelial barrier integrity, and shifted the microbiota toward beneficial microorganisms. Notably, these effects were present in RAG1-deficient mice lacking adaptive immunity, demonstrating an innate immune pathway through which GLP-1 signaling may attenuate colitis. Objectives: The objective of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists in reducing the incidence of adverse medical outcomes related to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Data will be collected from the medical charts of de-identified participants in the AllofUs Research Database with documented GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure and cross-referenced to confirm diagnoses of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Adults with type 2 diabetes, confirmed GLP-1 use, and sufficient pre- and post-exposure clinical data will be included, while individuals with type 1 or gestational diabetes, incomplete diagnostic coding, unclear medication timing, or limited follow-up will be excluded. Extracted variables include demographics, markers of IBD activity such as inflammatory labs, flare-related encounters, hospitalizations, complications, and any available symptom-base documentation.

Context: The available evidence suggests that GLP- receptor agonists may provide therapeutic benefit in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, particularly in individuals who have type 2 diabetes, while remaining safe and metabolically effective in patients with IBD who do not have diabetes. The strongest evidence comes from retrospective cohorts of patients carrying both diagnoses. A Danish study demonstrated a forty-eight percent reduction in adverse IBD outcomes among GLP-1 users compared with patients treated with other diabetes medications. Two independent reviews also confirmed that patients with IBD and type 2 diabetes who received GLP-1 therapy experienced fewer hospitalizations, fewer surgeries, and reduced corticosteroid exposure compared with those receiving alternative glucose-lowering therapies. A recent meta-analysis similarly identified a fifty-five percent reduction in IBD-related surgical procedures in cohorts that included metabolic comorbidities, with the most consistent benefits observed in patients who had both IBD and type 2 diabetes. In contrast, studies focused on non-diabetic IBD populations consistently showed that GLP-1 therapy is safe, well-tolerated, and does not worsen intestinal inflammation. Mechanistic pre-clinical work offers additional biologic support for GLP-1-mediated improvement in intestinal inflammation. A study using DSS-induced colitis models

Results: This study is currently in progress, however, once the study cohorts are finalized, each cohort will be compared utilizing either a 2-sample t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test to determine if the initialization of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy is associated with a reduction of disease-related complications within the study populations. Conclusion: Current research proposes that GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy may play a role in the attenuation of disease processes associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Based on the results of this present ongoing study, the will be aim to add evidence to the growing body of research that suggests the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies may extend beyond the scope of strictly treating type 2 diabetes. IRB Statement-This research utilizes de-identified patient data from the AllofUs Database not subject to IRB-approval.

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2026 Research Recognition Day