Research

We study the real-world effectiveness and safety of metabolic therapies using causal inference and target trial emulation in large-scale healthcare data. Our work focuses on contemporary antihyperglycemic treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and related drug classes, and evaluates their cardiovascular, renal, and psychiatric outcomes across diverse patient populations. By leveraging longitudinal electronic health records and rigorous causal designs, these studies aim to inform clinical decision making beyond glycemic control and support evidence generation in routine care settings.

Selected papers:

• Tang, H., Lu, Y., Zhang, B., Zhou, T., Zhang, D., Chen, J., … & Chen, Y. (2025). Cardiovascular and kidney outcomes of GLP‐1 receptor agonists in adults with obesity: A target trial emulation study. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 27(11), 6527-6536.
• Tang, H., Zhou, T., Zhang, B., Lu, Y., Kimmel, S. E., Lu, Y., … & Chen, Y. (2025). GLP-1 Receptor Agonists vs SGLT2 Inhibitors in Heart Failure With Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 41(11), 2202-2204.
• Tang, H., Lu, Y., Zhang, B., Zhang, D., Zhou, T., Chen, J., … & Chen, Y. (2025). Association of GLP-1 receptor agonist use with psychiatric outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes: a target trial emulation. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 113038.