Combination therapy with pioglitazone/exenatide improves beta-cell function and produces superior glycaemic control compared with basal/bolus insulin in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes: A3-year follow-up of the Qatar study
DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM
Authors: Abdul-Ghani, Muhammad; Migahid, Osama; Megahed, Ayman; DeFronzo, Ralph A.; Al-Ozairi, Ebaa; Jayyousiv, Amin
Abstract
Aim To examine the long-term efficacy of thiazolidinedione plus a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist versus basal-bolus insulin on glycaemic control and beta-cell function in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (T2D) on metformin plus sulphonylurea. Materials and Methods Three hundred and thirty-one patients with poorly controlled T2D were recruited over 3 years and were followed for an additional year. Subjects received a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at baseline and at study end. After completing the baseline OGTT, subjects were randomized to receive either pioglitazone plus weekly exenatide (combination therapy) or basal/bolus insulin (insulin therapy) to maintain an HbA1c of less than 7.0%. The primary outcome of the study was the difference in HbA1c at study end between the two treatment groups. Results Both therapies caused a robust decrease in HbA1c. However, combination therapy caused a greater decrement (-1.1%,P < .0001) than insulin therapy, and more subjects in the combination therapy group (86%) achieved the American Diabetes Association goal of glycaemic control (HbA1c < 7.0%) than those in the insulin therapy group (44%) (P< .0001). Both therapies improved insulin secretion. However, the improvement in insulin secretion with combination therapy was 2.5-fold greater (P < .001) than with insulin therapy (50%). Insulin therapy caused more weight gain and hypoglycaemia. Conclusion Both combination therapy and insulin therapy effectively reduced HbA1c in poorly controlled T2D on multiple oral agents. However, combination therapy produced a greater improvement in insulin secretion and decrease in HbA1c with a lower risk of hypoglycaemia.
Gastrointestinal adverse events with insulin glargine/lixisenatide fixed-ratio combination versus glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonistsin people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A network meta-analysis
DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM
Authors: Rayner, Christopher K.; Wu, Tongzhi; Aroda, Vanita R.; Whittington, Craig; Kanters, Steve; Guyot, Patricia; Shaunik, Alka; Horowitz, Michael
Abstract
Aims Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are the recommended first injectable therapy in type 2 diabetes. However, long-term persistence is suboptimal and partly attributable to gastrointestinal tolerability, particularly during initiation/escalation. Gradual titration of fixed-ratio combination GLP-1 RA/insulin therapies may improve GLP-1 RA gastrointestinal tolerability. We compared gastrointestinal adverse event (AE) rates for iGlarLixi versus GLP-1 RAs during the first 12 weeks of therapy, including a sensitivity analysis with IDegLira. Materials and methods The PICO framework was used to identify studies from MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL searches using a proprietary, web-based, standardized tool with single data extraction. Gastrointestinal AEs were modelled using a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA), using fixed and random effects for each recommended dose (treatment-specific NMA) and class (drug-class NMA). Results Treatment-specific NMA included 17 trials (n = 9030; 3665 event-weeks). Nausea rates were significantly lower with iGlarLixi versus exenatide 10 mu g twice daily (rate ratio: 0.32; 95% credible interval: 0.15, 0.66), once-daily lixisenatide 20 mu g (0.35; 0.24, 0.50) and liraglutide 1.8 mg once daily (0.48; 0.23, 0.98). Rates were numerically, but not statistically, lower versus once-weekly semaglutide 1 mg (0.60; 0.30, 1.23) and dulaglutide 1.5 mg (0.60; 0.29, 1.26), and numerically, but not statistically, higher versus once-weekly exenatide (1.91; 0.91, 4.03). Sensitivity analysis results were similar. In a naive, pooled analysis, vomiting was lower with iGlarLixi versus other GLP-1 RAs. Conclusions During the first 12 weeks of treatment, iGlarLixi was generally associated with less nausea and vomiting than single-agent GLP-1 RAs. Enhanced gastrointestinal tolerability with fixed-ratio combinations may favour treatment persistence.