Original Research J Clin Psychiatry October 2026

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Kidney Replacement Therapy and Health Care Utilization in Bipolar Disorder With Chronic Kidney Disease

JCP 2026;87(4):10.4088/JCP.26m16392

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in J Clin Psychiatry. JCP 2026;87(4):10.4088/JCP.26m16392 Clinical Summary Adults with bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease face high renal risk, often while taking psychotropics with nephrotoxic potential such as lithium, yet the article notes that no FDA-approved intervention currently exists to slow CKD progression in individuals with BD. This study asks whether GLP-1 receptor agonists, increasingly used in medically complex patients, are associated with lower kidney replacement therapy risk in this high-risk psychiatric population. FAQ In adults with bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease, were GLP-1 receptor agonists linked to a lower risk of kidney replacement therapy? 10 questions
Key Takeaways The kidney replacement therapy signal was reproduced in propensity-matched analyses: after matching (n=3,908 per group), 5-year event-free survival was 87.93% with GLP-1 RAs versus 84.63% with DPP-4 inhibitors (absolute risk reduction 3.30%; χ21=15.40; P <.001). 6 takeaways Clinical Guide How should clinicians use this study when considering GLP-1 receptor agonists for adults with bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease? 8 steps
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