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High-scoring endocrinologists are more likely to prescribe key diabetes drugs (opens in a new tab)

news-medical.net · 2026-10-27

Short answerEvidenceSource

Short answer

Mixed

Mixed.

One claim goes further than the study. One other point was not covered by the paper.

3 supported
1 overstated
1 not covered

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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The story

High-scoring endocrinologists are more likely to prescribe key diabetes drugs

news-medical.net · 2026-10-27

The story’s checkable claims.

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Mixed

One claim overstates the study. Three of five check out. One claim the study doesn't address.

3 supported
1 overstated
1 not covered

Open claim evidence

The source study

Prescribing SGLTis and GLP-1 RAs for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Guideline Updates, and Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment Scores

JAMA Network Open · 2026

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5 claims in this story

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Claim 1 of 5OverstatedLead and senior authors said the findings suggest that high scores on the ABIM assessment signal kept-up-to-date medical knowledge and that continuing certification activity may help new evidence reach patients more quickly.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The profile supports only an observational association between subsequently measured LKA score quartile and larger SGLT2i guideline-concordant fill increases. It does not establish that high LKA scores prove physicians kept current, nor that continuing certification activity caused new evidence to reach patients more quickly. The quoted author framing is also not directly verifiable from the supplied abstract-level profile.

Study evidence

Among patients of endocrinologists studied, the adjusted increase in guideline-targeted SGLT2i fill rates from 2018 to 2022 was 11.4 percentage points (95% CI, 10.5 to 12.3 pp; P < .001). The increase in targeted SGLT2i fills was 3.9 pp larger for patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom first-year LKA quartile (95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5 pp; P = .003).3.9 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5 pp) larger for top vs bottom LKA quartile

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

Claim 2 of 5Not coveredThe increase in SGLT2 inhibitor prescribing was more than 30% larger among patients treated by endocrinologists with high (top quartile) first-year LKA scores than among those treated by endocrinologists with low (bottom quartile) scores, but these score differences were not associated with increases in GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribing.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedmore than 30% larger

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports the direction of the SGLT2i LKA-quartile finding and the absence of a statistically significant GLP-1 RA LKA-quartile association: SGLT2i increase was 3.9 percentage points larger for top vs bottom LKA quartile, while GLP-1 RA variation was not statistically significant. However, the story’s specific relative magnitude, 'more than 30% larger,' is not directly verifiable from the supplied abstract profile, which reports a percentage-point difference rather than the high- vs low-quartile relative percentage.

Study evidence

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

Claim 3 of 5SupportedEndocrinologists who scored highest on the American Board of Internal Medicine's Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®) were more likely to prescribe a key diabetes drug class after a treatment guidelines update than doctors with lower scores.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports the headline’s core associational claim: patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom first-year LKA score quartile had a larger increase in guideline-targeted SGLT2 inhibitor fills after the 2019 ADA guideline update. The paper evidence is based on claims fill rates and observational fixed-effects analyses, so it supports association rather than causation.

Study evidence

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

Claim 4 of 5SupportedIn 2019, the American Diabetes Association updated its Standards of Care to encourage prescribing SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists for adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular disease, heart failure or chronic kidney disease, and researchers examined prescribing before and after the update across high- and low-scoring LKA participants.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The profile states that the exposure was time relative to the 2019 ADA guideline update and that the study compared guideline-targeted vs nontargeted patient subgroups before/after 2018 baseline, while evaluating variation across first-year LKA score quartiles. The ADA-targeted population description and SGLT2i/GLP-1 RA focus are consistent with the profile.

Study evidence

From 2018 to 2022, adjusted guideline-targeted patient-year SGLT2 inhibitor fill rates increased by 11.4 percentage points compared with nontargeted subgroups.11.4 pp (95% CI, 10.5 to 12.3 pp)

“This serial cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2025 through January 2026, using 2017 to 2022 traditional Medicare claims.”

Study evidence

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

Claim 5 of 5SupportedFrom 2018 to 2022, overall SGLT2 inhibitor prescribing for patients targeted by the updated recommendations increased by 11.4 percentage points compared with patients not targeted by the recommendations, while the comparative increase for GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribing was 2.4 percentage points.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated11.4 percentage points; 2.4 percentage points

Why this verdict

The magnitudes match the abstract-level results: adjusted guideline-targeted SGLT2i fill rates increased by 11.4 percentage points and GLP-1 RA fill rates by 2.4 percentage points from 2018 to 2022 compared with nontargeted subgroups. The paper measures claims-based fills, which the story paraphrases as prescribing.

Study evidence

From 2018 to 2022, adjusted guideline-targeted patient-year SGLT2 inhibitor fill rates increased by 11.4 percentage points compared with nontargeted subgroups.11.4 pp (95% CI, 10.5 to 12.3 pp)

“This serial cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2025 through January 2026, using 2017 to 2022 traditional Medicare claims.”

Study evidence

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

Then look for missing context

Context layer

What the story left out

Important study details the story did not include.

Primary outcomes were annual patient-year medication fill rates for SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists, not direct observation of prescribing intent or medication adherence.
The story repeatedly frames results as prescribing. While claims fills are often used as prescribing proxies, the profile identifies dispensing/fills and notes that fills do not necessarily capture prescribing intent or adherence.
From Serial cross-sectional claims analysis with within-physician fixed-effects linear regression; retrospective fixed-effect
The evidence is observational and retrospective; associations may be affected by residual confounding and do not prove that LKA performance or certification activity caused faster evidence adoption.
The story frames the findings as suggesting continuous learning may speed adoption, but the caveats provided do not acknowledge the observational, noncausal nature of the evidence.
From retrospective fixed-effects effect-modification analysis
LKA scores were measured subsequently: physicians first participated in the 2022–2023 LKA while prescribing/fill data covered 2017–2022.
This timing issue is material to interpreting whether LKA scores preceded or caused prescribing changes. The story presentation does not mention that the LKA scores were subsequently measured.
From retrospective fixed-effects effect-modification analysis

5 things the story did carry across

The study was a serial cross-sectional, retrospective claims-based analysis of 2017–2022 traditional Medicare data, using fixed-effects regression and patient covariate adjustment.
Overall guideline-targeted SGLT2i fills increased substantially more than nontargeted fills from 2018 to 2022, while GLP-1 RA fills showed a smaller adjusted increase.
The LKA analysis found a 3.9 percentage-point larger SGLT2i increase for patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom first-year LKA quartile.
The analogous GLP-1 RA effect-modification comparison across LKA quartiles was not statistically significant and had wide confidence intervals.
The study population was limited to traditional Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes treated by endocrinologists who participated in the ABIM LKA, which may limit generalizability.

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Study layer

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Pieces of work

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

secondary data

1Lead resultsecondary dataDescribe temporal patterns in SGLT2 inhibitor and GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribing among Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes before vs after the 2019 ADA guideline update, comparing guideline-targeted vs nontargeted patient subgroups.Serial cross-sectional claims analysis with within-physician fixed-effects linear regressionExpand

In plain English

Serial cross-sectional analysis of 2017–2022 traditional Medicare claims estimating annual patient-year SGLT2 inhibitor and GLP-1 receptor agonist fill rates in guideline-targeted vs nontargeted subgroups, using within-physician fixed-effects linear regression relative to 2018; found an 11.4 percentage-point increase in guideline-targeted SGLT2i fills and a 2.4 percentage-point increase in guideline-targeted GLP-1 RA fills from 2018 to 2022, and a 3.9 percentage-point larger SGLT2i increase for patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom first-year LKA quartile.

Key findings

From 2018 to 2022, adjusted guideline-targeted patient-year SGLT2 inhibitor fill rates increased by 11.4 percentage points compared with nontargeted subgroups.11.4 pp (95% CI, 10.5 to 12.3 pp)
From 2018 to 2022, adjusted guideline-targeted patient-year GLP-1 RA fill rates increased by 2.4 percentage points compared with nontargeted subgroups.2.4 pp (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.3 pp)

“This serial cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2025 through January 2026, using 2017 to 2022 traditional Medicare claims.”

2secondary dataAssess whether changes in guideline-concordant SGLT2i and GLP-1 RA prescribing around the guideline update differ across endocrinologists by subsequently measured first-year ABIM Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) score quartiles.retrospective fixed-effects effect-modification analysisExpand

In plain English

Effect-modification analysis assessing whether temporal increases in guideline-concordant SGLT2i and GLP-1 RA fills after the 2019 ADA guideline update differed by endocrinologist first-year ABIM LKA score quartile, using 2017–2022 Medicare claims and physician fixed-effects regression; found a larger increase in guideline-targeted SGLT2i fills for patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom LKA quartile, while the analogous GLP-1 RA comparison was not statistically significant.

Key findings

Among patients of endocrinologists studied, the adjusted increase in guideline-targeted SGLT2i fill rates from 2018 to 2022 was 11.4 percentage points (95% CI, 10.5 to 12.3 pp; P < .001). The increase in targeted SGLT2i fills was 3.9 pp larger for patients of endocrinologists in the top vs bottom first-year LKA quartile (95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5 pp; P = .003).3.9 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5 pp) larger for top vs bottom LKA quartile
Adjusted increase in guideline-targeted GLP-1 RA fill rates from 2018 to 2022 was 2.4 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4 to 3.3 pp; P < .001); the study reports that variation in this GLP-1 RA association across LKA quartiles was not statistically significant and had wide confidence intervals.Not statistically significant difference across LKA quartiles (wide CIs reported)

“to assess whether these patterns differed across physicians with subsequently measured different first-year American Board of Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) scores.”

What this piece can’t prove

Observational, retrospective claims analysis using within-physician fixed-effects—associations may be subject to residual confounding and do not prove causality.
Timing/temporality: physicians' first-year LKA scores were measured in 2022–2023 while prescribing data cover 2017–2022; the abstract characterizes LKA as 'subsequently measured.'
Medication fills in claims reflect dispensing, not necessarily prescribing intent or patient adherence.
Study population limited to Medicare beneficiaries and to endocrinologists who participated in the ABIM LKA, which may limit generalizability.
Effect-modification results for GLP-1 RAs were imprecise (wide confidence intervals) and not statistically significant per the abstract.

Finally, the search trail

Method layer