Incident Cancer Risk of Patients with Prevalent Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Hungary (Part 2)

(1) Background: Among the chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer has become the leading cause of death in several countries. Our objective was to determine whether prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with a higher incidence of cancer. (2) Methods: This study comprised a nationwide analysis conducted in Hungary. The study population was divided into two groups: a type 2 diabetes mellitus group vs. a non-diabetic group. The primary outcome was the risk related to overall cancer incidence; a key secondary outcome was the overall incidence of cancer in distinct study years; and a further outcome was the annual percent changes. (3) Results: The odds ratio related to the overall incidence of cancer was 2.50 (95% confidence interval: 2.46-2.55, p < 0.0001) in patients with diabetes as related to non-diabetic controls. The odds ratio was higher in males than in females [ORmales: 2.76 (2.70-2.82) vs. ORfemales: 2.27 (2.22-2.33), p < 0.05 for male-to-female comparison]. The annual cancer incidence rate declined in non-diabetic controls, but not in patients with diabetes [-1.79% (-2.07--1.52%), p < 0.0001] vs. -0.50% (-1.12-+0.10%), p = 0.0991]. Several types of cancer showed a decreasing tendency in non-diabetic controls, but not in patients with type 2 diabetes. (4) Conclusions: Type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of cancer. While the cancer incidence decreased for non-diabetic individuals with time, it remained unchanged in patients with T2DM.

Incident Cancer Risk in Patients with Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Hungary (Part 1)

(1) Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at higher risk of cancer but how these two diseases associate is still debated. The goal of this study was the assessment of the overall incidence of cancer among patients with newly diagnosed T2DM in Hungary. (2) Methods: A nationwide, retrospective, longitudinal study was performed using a Hungarian database. After exclusion of cases of age < 18 years, with gestational diabetes, with polycystic ovary syndrome, and with type 1 and prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus, the incident T2DM (approx. 50,000 cases yearly) and for comparison, the diabetes-free Hungarian adult population (approx. 7,000,000 cases yearly) was included in the study. The primary endpoints were the overall and site-specific incidence and annual percentage change of the incidence of cancer in both populations. (3) Results: The overall incidence of cancer in patients amounted to 29.4/1000 and 6.6/1000 with or without T2DM, respectively, and the OR (95%CI) of cancer of the T2DM group was 4.32 (4.14-4.53), p < 0.0001. The risk of having cancer was age dependent. The incidence of cancer was declining in the non-diabetic but was unchanged in the T2DM population. The average lag time of diagnosing cancer after the detection of T2DM was 3.86 months. (4) Conclusions: Incident T2DM is associated with a significantly higher overall risk of incident cancer, with a reverse correlation of age. Newly registered T2DM patients were suggested to be screened for cancer within 6 months.

Morbidity and mortality of patients with diabetic neuropathy treated with pathogenetically oriented alpha-lipoic acid versus symptomatic pharmacotherapies - a nationwide database analysis from Hungary

AIMS

Diabetic neuropathy is associated with increased risk of morbidity and all-cause mortality. It is unclear whether these outcomes differ in patients with diabetic neuropathy treated with pathogenetically oriented vs symptomatic pharmacotherapies.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective (2009-2019) database analysis of patients treated with pathogenetically oriented alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) or symptomatic pharmacotherapies for diabetic neuropathy. We investigated clinical outcomes in propensity score matched patients in Hungary. Changes in hazard ratios and annualized event rates were assessed and sensitivity analyses performed.

RESULTS

Hazard ratios favored treatment with ALA vs symptomatic pharmacotherapies regarding acute myocardial infarction (HR 0.73, 95%CI: 0.60-0.89, p = 0.0016), stroke (HR 0.71, 95%CI: 0.62-0.82, p<0.0001), hospitalization for heart failure (HR 0.72, 95%CI: 0.66-0.78, p<0.0001), cancer events (HR 0.83, 95% CI: 0.76-0.92, p = 0.0002) and all-cause mortality (HR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.49-0.61, p<0.0001), but not for lower limb amputation (HR 1.05, 95%CI: 0.89-1.25, p = 0.5455). This association was supported by results of evaluating annual event rates and sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective database analysis revealed a lower occurrence of cardio- and cerebrovascular morbidity, cancer events and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetic neuropathy treated with pathogenetically oriented ALA vs symptomatic pharmacotherapies. This hypothesis-generating result requires further investigations.

Lifetime risk, life expectancy, and years of life lost to type 2 diabetes in 23 high-income jurisdictions: a multinational, population-based study

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a major public health issue. Because lifetime risk, life expectancy, and years of life lost are meaningful metrics for clinical decision making, we aimed to estimate these measures for type 2 diabetes in the high-income setting.

METHODS

For this multinational, population-based study, we sourced data from 24 databases for 23 jurisdictions (either whole countries or regions of a country): Australia; Austria; Canada; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Hong Kong; Hungary; Israel; Italy; Japan; Latvia; Lithuania; the Netherlands; Norway; Scotland; Singapore; South Korea; Spain; Taiwan; the UK; and the USA. Our main outcomes were lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes, life expectancy in people with and without type 2 diabetes, and years of life lost to type 2 diabetes. We modelled the incidence and mortality of type 2 diabetes in people with and without type 2 diabetes in sex-stratified, age-adjusted, and calendar year-adjusted Poisson models for each jurisdiction. Using incidence and mortality, we constructed life tables for people of both sexes aged 20-100 years for each jurisdiction and at two timepoints 5 years apart in the period 2005-19 where possible. Life expectancy from a given age was computed as the area under the survival curves and lifetime lost was calculated as the difference between the expected lifetime of people with versus without type 2 diabetes at a given age. Lifetime risk was calculated as the proportion of each cohort who developed type 2 diabetes between the ages of 20 years and 100 years. We estimated 95% CIs using parametric bootstrapping.

FINDINGS

Across all study cohorts from the 23 jurisdictions (total person-years 1 577 234 194), there were 5 119 585 incident cases of type 2 diabetes, 4 007 064 deaths in those with type 2 diabetes, and 11 854 043 deaths in those without type 2 diabetes. The lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes ranged from 16·3% (95% CI 15·6-17·0) for Scottish women to 59·6% (58·5-60·8) for Singaporean men. Lifetime risk declined with time in 11 of the 15 jurisdictions for which two timepoints were studied. Among people with type 2 diabetes, the highest life expectancies were found for both sexes in Japan in 2017-18, where life expectancy at age 20 years was 59·2 years (95% CI 59·2-59·3) for men and 64·1 years (64·0-64·2) for women. The lowest life expectancy at age 20 years with type 2 diabetes was observed in 2013-14 in Lithuania (43·7 years [42·7-44·6]) for men and in 2010-11 in Latvia (54·2 years [53·4-54·9]) for women. Life expectancy in people with type 2 diabetes increased with time for both sexes in all jurisdictions, except for Spain and Scotland. The life expectancy gap between those with and without type 2 diabetes declined substantially in Latvia from 2010-11 to 2015-16 and in the USA from 2009-10 to 2014-15. Years of life lost to type 2 diabetes ranged from 2·5 years (Latvia; 2015-16) to 12·9 years (Israel Clalit Health Services; 2015-16) for 20-year-old men and from 3·1 years (Finland; 2011-12) to 11·2 years (Israel Clalit Health Services; 2010-11 and 2015-16) for 20-year-old women. With time, the expected number of years of life lost to type 2 diabetes decreased in some jurisdictions and increased in others. The greatest decrease in years of life lost to type 2 diabetes occurred in the USA between 2009-10 and 2014-15 for 20-year-old men (a decrease of 2·7 years).

INTERPRETATION

Despite declining lifetime risk and improvements in life expectancy for those with type 2 diabetes in many high-income jurisdictions, the burden of type 2 diabetes remains substantial. Public health strategies might benefit from tailored approaches to continue to improve health outcomes for people with diabetes.

FUNDING

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Diabetes Australia.

A nem alkoholos hasnyálmirigy-elzsírosodás klinikai jelentősége

A pancreaticus lipidakkumuláció – amelyet egyre gyakrabban NAFPD (non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease) néven említenek az angol nyelvű szakirodalomban – az elmúlt néhány évben került az érdeklődés előterébe. Az elváltozást több, eltérő névvel illették korábban; a NAFPD megnevezést hazánkban még ma is csak ritkán használjuk, magyar nyelvű megfelelője sem kristályosodott ki. A pancreaticus lipidfelhalmozódást az ectopiás zsírszövet-akkumuláció egyik megjelenési formájaként tartják számon. A NAFPD felismerése képalkotó vizsgálatokkal lehetséges, a klinikai gyakorlatban leginkább az ultrahangvizsgálat és a komputertomográfia jön szóba, de a kvantifikáció még nem kiforrott. A NAFPD prevalenciája a felnőtt lakosság körében 30–35%-ra tehető, előfordulására elhízott gyermekek/serdülők körében is számíthatunk. A NAFPD érinti a pancreas endokrin és exokrin funkcióját. A NAFPD és a 2-es típusú diabetes/metabolikus szindróma összefüggését több tanulmány igazolta, a NAFPD lokális következményeiről még kevés ismerettel rendelkezünk. Adatok szólnak amellett, hogy a NAFPD-nak szerepe lehet a heveny és az idült pancreatitis, illetve a pancreascarcinoma kialakulásában, a pancreas exokrin diszfunkciójában. A NAFPD-t előnyösen befolyásolja a testsúly csökkenése, ami elhízottak körében életmód-terápiával, gyógyszeres intervencióval vagy bariátriai sebészeti beavatkozással érhető el. Fontos, hogy a 2-es típusú diabetesben szenvedő, testsúlyfelesleggel rendelkező betegek antihyperglykaemiás kezelése olyan antidiabetikumokkal történjen, amelyek a jó glykaemiás kontroll mellett testsúlyredukciót is eredményeznek. A NAFPD feltehetően gyakori, de ritkán felismert, viszonylag új klinikai entitás, amely a belgyógyászaton belül több szubspecialitás (gasztroenterológia, diabetológia, lipidológia, obezitológia), illetve a sebészet területén tevékenykedő szakemberek érdeklődési körébe esik. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(44): 1735–1742.

Changing Patterns of Antihyperglycaemic Treatment among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Hungary between 2015 and 2020-Nationwide Data from a Register-Based Analysis

Background and objectives: In the last couple of years, pharmacological management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been markedly renewed. The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in prescribing patterns of antidiabetic drugs for treating patients with T2DM in Hungary between 2015 and 2020. Material and Methods: In this retrospective, nationwide analysis, we used the central database of the National Health Insurance Fund. We present annual numbers and their proportion of T2DM patients with different treatment regimens. Results: In the period of 2015−2020, the number of incident cases decreased from 60,049 to 29,865, while prevalent cases increased from 682,274 to 752,367. Patients with metformin (MET) monotherapy had the highest prevalence (31% in 2020). Prevalence of insulin (INS) monotherapy continuously but slightly decreased from 29% to 27% while that of sulfonylurea (SU) monotherapy markedly decreased from 37% to 20%. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-4) inhibitors remained popular in 2020 as monotherapy (5%), in dual combination with MET (12%) and in triple combination with MET and SU (5%). The prevalence of patients with sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors increased from 1% to 4% in monotherapy, from <1% to 6% in dual combination with MET, and from <1% to 2% in triple oral combination with MET and SU or DPP-4-inhibitors. The prevalence of patients using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1-RAs) also increased but remained around 1−2% both in monotherapy and combinations. For initiating antihyperglycaemic treatment, MET monotherapy was the most frequently used regime in 2020 (50%), followed by monotherapy with SUs (16%) or INS (10%). After initial MET monotherapy, the incidence rates of patients with add-on GLP-1-RAs (2%, 3%, and 4%) and those of add-on SGLT-2 inhibitors (4%, 6%, and 8%) slowly increased in the subsequent 24, 48, and 72 months, respectively. Conclusions: In the period of 2015−2020, we documented important changes in trends of antihyperglycaemic therapeutic patterns in patients with T2DM which followed the new scientific recommendations but remained below our expectations regarding timing and magnitude. More efforts are warranted to implement new agents with cardiovascular/renal benefits into therapeutic management in time, in a much larger proportion of T2DM population, and without delay.

Trends in all-cause mortality among people with diagnosed diabetes in high-income settings: a multicountry analysis of aggregate data

BACKGROUND

Population-level trends in mortality among people with diabetes are inadequately described. We aimed to examine the magnitude and trends in excess all-cause mortality in people with diabetes.

METHODS

In this retrospective, multicountry analysis, we collected aggregate data from 19 data sources in 16 high-income countries or jurisdictions (in six data sources in Asia, eight in Europe, one from Australia, and four from North America) for the period from Jan 1, 1995, to Dec 31, 2016, (or a subset of this period) on all-cause mortality in people with diagnosed total or type 2 diabetes. We collected data from administrative sources, health insurance records, registries, and a health survey. We estimated excess mortality using the standardised mortality ratio (SMR).

FINDINGS

In our dataset, there were approximately 21 million deaths during 0·5 billion person-years of follow-up among people with diagnosed diabetes. 17 of 19 data sources showed decreases in the age-standardised and sex-standardised mortality in people with diabetes, among which the annual percentage change in mortality ranged from -0·5% (95% CI -0·7 to -0·3) in Hungary to -4·2% (-4·3 to -4·1) in Hong Kong. The largest decreases in mortality were observed in east and southeast Asia, with a change of -4·2% (95% CI -4·3 to -4·1) in Hong Kong, -4·0% (-4·8 to -3·2) in South Korea, -3·5% (-4·0 to -3·0) in Taiwan, and -3·6% (-4·2 to -2·9) in Singapore. The annual estimated change in SMR between people with and without diabetes ranged from -3·0% (95% CI -3·0 to -2·9; US Medicare) to 1·6% (1·4 to 1·7; Lombardy, Italy). Among the 17 data sources with decreasing mortality among people with diabetes, we found a significant SMR increase in five data sources, no significant SMR change in four data sources, and a significant SMR decrease in eight data sources.

INTERPRETATION

All-cause mortality in diabetes has decreased in most of the high-income countries we assessed. In eight of 19 data sources analysed, mortality decreased more rapidly in people with diabetes than in those without diabetes. Further longevity gains will require continued improvement in prevention and management of diabetes.

FUNDING

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Diabetes Australia Research Program, and Victoria State Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

The Role of Biofactors in Diabetic Microvascular Complications

Microvascular complications are responsible for a major proportion of the burden associated with diabetes contributing to substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden in people with diabetes. Retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy constitute the leading causes of blindness, end-stage renal disease, and lower-extremity amputations, respectively. Since the efficacy of causal therapies of diabetic microvascular complications is limited, especially in type 2 diabetes, there is an unmet need for adjunct treatments which should be effective despite ongoing hyperglycemia. Experimental studies have indicated that diabetic microvascular complications can be prevented or ameliorated by various biofactors in animal models by interfering with the pathophysiology of the underlying condition. Some of the findings related to biofactors, like α-lipoic acid and benfotiamine, could be translated into the clinical arena and confirmed in clinical trials, especially in those focusing on diabetic polyneuropathy. Given the micronutrient nature of these compounds, their safety profile is excellent. Thus, they have the potential to favorably modify the natural history of the underlying complication, but long-term clinical trials are required to confirm this notion. Ultimately, biofactors should expand our therapeutic armamentarium against these common, debilitating, and even life-threatening sequelae of diabetes.

Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors May Change the Development of Urinary Tract and Hematological Malignancies as Compared With Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors: Data of the Post-Hoc Analysis of a Nationwide Study

BACKGROUND

In diabetes mellitus, during the last years, cancer became of equivalent importance as a cardiovascular disease in terms of mortality. In an earlier study, we have analyzed data of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of Hungary with regards all patients treated with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (SGLT2is) vs. those treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors (DPP-4is) in a given timeframe. In propensity score-matched groups of SGLT2i- vs. DPP-4i-treated patients, we found a lower incidence of cancer in general. In this post-hoc analysis, we aimed to obtain data on the incidence of site-specific cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients starting an SGLT2i or a DPP-4i between 2014 and 2017 in Hungary were included; the two groups (SGLT2i vs. DPP-4i) were matched for 54 clinical and demographical parameters. The follow-up period was 639 vs. 696 days, respectively. Patients with a letter "C" International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) code have been chosen, and those with a known malignancy within a year before the onset of the study have been excluded from the analysis.

RESULTS

We found a lower risk of urinary tract [HR 0.50 (95% CI: 0.32-0.79) p = 0.0027] and hematological malignancies [HR 0.50 (95% CI: 0.28-0.88) p = 0.0174] in patients treated with SGLT2i vs. those on DPP-4i. Risk of other types of cancer (including lung and larynx, lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, rectum, pancreas, non-melanoma skin cancers, breast, or prostate) did not differ significantly between the two groups. When plotting absolute risk difference against follow-up time, an early divergence of curves was found in case of prostate, urinary tract, and hematological malignancies, whereas late divergence can be seen in case of cancers of the lung and larynx, the lower GI tract, and the breast.

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary tract and hematological malignancies were less frequent in patients treated with SGLT2i vs. DPP-4i. An early vs. late divergence could be observed for different cancer types, which deserves further studies.

Left Ventricular Systolic Function Has Strong Independent Genetic Background from Diastolic Function: A Classical Twin Study

Background and Objectives: No data are available on whether the heritability of left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic parameters are independent of each other. Therefore, our aim was to assess the magnitude of common and independent genetic and environmental factors defining LV systolic and diastolic function. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 184 asymptomatic twins (65% female, mean age: 56 ± 9 years). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to measure LV systolic (global longitudinal and circumferential strain; basal and apical rotation) and diastolic (early diastolic velocity of mitral inflow and lateral mitral annulus tissue; deceleration time and early diastolic strain rate) parameters using conventional and speckle-tracking echocardiography. Genetic structural equation models were evaluated to quantify the proportion of common and specific genetic (Ac, As) and environmental factors (Ec, Es) contributing to the phenotypes. Results: LV systolic parameters had no common genetic or environmental heritability (Ac range: 0-0%; Ec range: 0-0%; As range: 57-77%; Es range: 24-43%). Diastolic LV parameters were mainly determined by common genetic and environmental effects (Ac range: 9-40%; Ec range: 11-49%; As range: 0-29%; Es range: 0-51%). Systolic parameters had no common genetic or environmental factors (Ac = 0%; Ec = 0%) with diastolic metrics. Conclusions: Systolic LV parameters have a strong genetic predisposition to any impact. They share no common genetic or environmental factors with each other or with diastolic parameters, indicating that they may deteriorate specifically to given effects. However, diastolic functional parameters are mainly affected by common environmental influences, suggesting that pathological conditions may deteriorate them equally. Estimation of the genetic and environmental influence and interdependence on systolic and diastolic LV function may help the understanding of the pathomechanism of different heart failure classification types.

Trends in the incidence of diagnosed diabetes: a multicountry analysis of aggregate data from 22 million diagnoses in high-income and middle-income settings

BACKGROUND

Diabetes prevalence is increasing in most places in the world, but prevalence is affected by both risk of developing diabetes and survival of those with diabetes. Diabetes incidence is a better metric to understand the trends in population risk of diabetes. Using a multicountry analysis, we aimed to ascertain whether the incidence of clinically diagnosed diabetes has changed over time.

METHODS

In this multicountry data analysis, we assembled aggregated data describing trends in diagnosed total or type 2 diabetes incidence from 24 population-based data sources in 21 countries or jurisdictions. Data were from administrative sources, health insurance records, registries, and a health survey. We modelled incidence rates with Poisson regression, using age and calendar time (1995-2018) as variables, describing the effects with restricted cubic splines with six knots for age and calendar time.

FINDINGS

Our data included about 22 million diabetes diagnoses from 5 billion person-years of follow-up. Data were from 19 high-income and two middle-income countries or jurisdictions. 23 data sources had data from 2010 onwards, among which 19 had a downward or stable trend, with an annual estimated change in incidence ranging from -1·1% to -10·8%. Among the four data sources with an increasing trend from 2010 onwards, the annual estimated change ranged from 0·9% to 5·6%. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses excluding data sources in which the data quality was lower and were consistent in analyses stratified by different diabetes definitions.

INTERPRETATION

The incidence of diagnosed diabetes is stabilising or declining in many high-income countries. The reasons for the declines in the incidence of diagnosed diabetes warrant further investigation with appropriate data sources.

FUNDING

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Diabetes Australia Research Program, and Victoria State Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

Risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor and/or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor: a nationwide study

INTRODUCTION

Mortality and disability in diabetes mellitus are determined mostly by cardiovascular complications and cancer. The impact of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) monotherapy or combination on long-term complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus was studied.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Patients with type 2 diabetes treated with DPP-4i or SGLT2i during a 3-year period were identified in the database of the National Institute of Health Insurance Fund in Hungary. All-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), lower limb amputation (LLA) and cancer were assessed. Outcomes of add-on SGLT2i to DPP-4i treatment in comparison with switching DPP-4i therapy to SGLT2i were also evaluated. After propensity score matching, survival analysis was performed with a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, both SGLT2i and DPP-4i groups included 18 583 patients. All-cause mortality (HR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.68 to 0.94; p=0.0057), HHF (HR, 0.81; 95% CI 0.71 to 0.92; p=0.0018), and risk of cancer (HR, 0.75; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.86; p<0.0001) were lower in the SGLT2i population compared with DPP-4i. Risk of LLA was higher in the SGLT2i group (HR, 1.35; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.77; p=0.0315). SGLT2i in combination with DPP-4i results in lower all-cause mortality (HR, 0.46; 95% CI 0.31 to 0.67; p=0.0001), with a lower trend in stroke, LLA, HHF and cancer, but without any statistical difference.

CONCLUSIONS

SGLT2i treatment leads to a lower risk of overall mortality, HHF and cancer when compared with DPP-4i treatment. Adding SGLT2i to DPP-4i instead of switching from DPP-4i to SGLT2i further lowers the risk of all-cause mortality.

Real-world adherence, persistence, and in-class switching during use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis involving 594,138 patients with type 2 diabetes

AIMS

Medication adherence and persistence are important determinants of treatment success in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the real-world adherence, persistence, and in-class switching among patients with T2DM prescribed dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, and CINAHL were searched for relevant observational studies published in the English language up to 20 December 2019. This was supplemented by manual screening of the references of included papers. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-four cohort studies involving 594,138 patients with T2DM prescribed DPP4 inhibitors from ten countries were included. The pooled proportion adherent (proportion of days covered (PDC) or medication possession ratio (MPR) ≥ 0.80) was 56.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 49.3-64.4) at one year and 44.2% (95% CI 36.4-52.1) at two years. The proportion persistent with treatment decreased from 75.6% (95% CI 71.5-79.5) at six months to 52.8% (95% CI 51.6-59.8) at two years. No significant differences in adherence and persistence were observed between individual DPP4 inhibitors. At one year, just 3.2% (95% CI 3.1-3.3) of patients switched from one DPP4 inhibitor to another. Switching from saxagliptin and alogliptin to others was commonest.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to and persistence with DPP4 inhibitors is suboptimal but similar across all medications within the class. While in-class switching is uncommon, saxagliptin and alogliptin are the DPP4 inhibitors most commonly switched. Interventions to improve treatment adherence and persistence among patients with T2DM prescribed DPP4 inhibitors may be warranted.

Coronary plaque burden of the left anterior descending artery in patients with or without myocardial bridge: A case-control study based on coronary CT-angiography

BACKGROUND

The clinical significance of myocardial bridging (MB) on the left anterior descending artery (LAD) is debated. We aimed to assess the association between MB and LAD plaque volumes/compositions in a case-control set up.

METHODS

In our retrospective analysis we investigated 50 cases with incidentally recognized LAD MB and 50 matched controls without LAD MB on coronary computed tomography angiography. We quantified plaque volumes proximal to the MB and beneath it in patients with MB and in the corresponding coronary segments in patients without MB.

RESULTS

In total, we have included 100 patients (mean age 60.6 ± 10.8 years, males: 80%). Plaque volume was similar in the LAD segments proximal to the MB in cases vs. controls (150.0 mm³ [IQR: 90.7-194.5 mm³] vs. 132.8 mm³ [IQR: 94.2-184.3 mm³], respectively; p = 0.95) while the plaque volume was smaller beneath LAD MB vs. control segment (16.2 mm³ [IQR: 12.6-25.8 mm³] vs. 21.1 mm³ [IQR: 14.0-42.4 mm³], respectively; p = 0.002). No significant differences were found regarding different plaque components in segments proximal to the MB while fatty plaque and necrotic core volumes were smaller or negligible in coronary segment beneath MB than in controls (0.07 mm³ [IQR: 0.005-0.27 mm³] vs. 12.7 mm³ [IQR: 7.4-24.4 mm³] and 0.00 mm³ [IQR: 0.00-0.04 mm³] vs. 0.06 mm³ [IQR: 0.03-2.8 mm³], respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Comparing patients with MB vs. matched controls without it, MB was not associated with increased plaque volumes in LAD segment proximal to MB and plaque quantity was smaller in the MB segment. Our data are supportive of benign nature of incidentally recognized LAD MB.

Positioning sulphonylureas in a modern treatment algorithm for patients with type 2 diabetes: Expert opinion from a European consensus panel

The large number of pharmacological agents available to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) makes choosing the optimal drug for any given patient a complex task. Because newer agents offer several advantages, whether and when sulphonylureas (SUs) should still be used to treat T2D is controversial. Published treatment guidelines and recommendations should govern the general approach to diabetes management. However, expert opinions can aid in better understanding local practices and in formulating individual choices. The current consensus paper aims to provide additional guidance on the use of SUs in T2D. We summarize current local treatment guidelines in European countries, showing that SUs are still widely proposed as second-line treatment after metformin and are often ranked at the same level as newer glucose-lowering medications. Strong evidence now shows that sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are associated with low hypoglycaemia risk, promote weight loss, and exert a positive impact on vascular, cardiac and renal endpoints. Thus, using SUs in place of SGLT-2is and GLP-1RAs may deprive patients of key advantages and potentially important cardiorenal benefits. In subjects with ascertained cardiovascular disease or at very high cardiovascular risk, SGLT-2is and/or GLP-1RAs should be used as part of diabetes management, in the absence of contraindications. Routine utilization of SUs as second-line agents continues to be acceptable in resource-constrained settings.

Environmental Factors Slightly Outweigh Genetic Influences in the Development of Pancreatic Lipid Accumulation: A Classical Twin Study

Background: Several studies showed that lipid accumulation in the pancreas (NAFPD: nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease) may lead to different pancreatic disorders, including beta-cell dysfunction. The role of genetic and environmental factors in pancreatic lipid accumulation is unclear. We evaluated the magnitude of genetic and environmental impact on pancreatic lipid content within a cohort of adult twin pairs. Patients and Methods: We investigated 136 twin subjects [monozygotic (MZ, n = 86) and dizygotic (DZ, n = 50) same-gender twins (age 57.7 ± 9.1 years; body mass index [BMI] 28.0 ± 4.4 kg/m²; females 64.7%)] with a 256-slice computed tomography (CT)-scanner. Using nonenhanced CT images, we calculated the average value of pancreatic attenuation expressed in Hounsfield unit (HU) suggesting pancreatic lipid content. Crude data were adjusted to age, sex, BMI, and hemoglobinA1c values. Intrapair correlations were established, and structural equation models were used for quantifying the contribution of additive genetic (A), common environmental (C), and unique environmental (E) components to the investigated phenotype. Results: The study cohort represented a moderately overweight, middle-aged Caucasian population. Average pancreatic attenuation was 48.9 ± 11.9 HU in MZ and 49.0 ± 13.0 HU in DZ twins (P = 0.934). The intrapair correlation between HU values was stronger in MZ compared to DZ twins (rMZ = 0.536, P < 0.001; rDZ = 0.115, P = 0.580). Using the structural equation model, a greater unique environmental influence [E: 54%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 19%-66%] and a moderate additive genetic dependence (A: 46%, 95% CI 34%-81%) were found. Conclusions: The results of our classical twin study indicate that environmental (lifestyle) influences slightly outweigh genetic effects on the phenotypic appearance of pancreatic lipid accumulation known as NAFPD.

Changes in mortality rates and ratios in people with pharmacologically treated type 2 diabetes mellitus between 2001 and 2016 in Hungary

AIMS

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality; however, detailed analyses of subgroups are rare. In this study we analyzed the changes of age- and gender-specific all-cause mortality rates and ratios in T2DM subjects (aged > 40 years) in Hungary between 2001 and 2016.

METHODS

We used the central database of the National Institute of Health Insurance Fund. All-cause mortality rates in patients with T2DM and ratios (T2DM/non-T2DM) were determined in males/females and in different age-groups. Age-adjusted values were used for standardized mortality rates.

RESULTS

Among pharmacologically treated T2DM subjects we found 117,700 and 329,845 males, 232,143 and 391,382 females in 2001 and 2016, respectively. Standardized all-cause mortality rate was higher in males than in females in 2001 (4540/100,000 vs. 3365/100,000) which decreased to 4125/100,000 in males (total change: -11.8%, p < 0.0001) and to 2977/100,000 in females (total change: -9.2%; p = 0.0558) in 2016. We found a significant increase (8.35%; p = 0.0272) in standardized all-cause mortality ratios between 2001 and 2016 which was higher in males (11.44%; p = 0.0096) than in females (2.78%; p = 0.3288). We observed the most pronounced increase in younger age-groups (age 41-60 years) in both genders (change varied from 54.2% to 101.8%; p < 0.05) which was due to distinct tendencies in changes of mortality curves.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacologically treated T2DM subjects in lower age-groups (41-60 years) had the highest increase in all-cause mortality ratios between 2001 and 2016 in Hungary. These data indicate that relatively younger patients with T2DM need special attention for improving long-term outcomes.

Changes in the incidence and prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among 2 million children and adolescents in Hungary between 2001 and 2016 - a nationwide population-based study

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the present study was to assess changes in the incidence and prevalence of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in children and adolescents in Hungary during the period 2001 to 2016 in order to provide nationwide population-based epidemiology data on diabetes in youths aged 0-18 years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of Hungarian children and adolescents aged 18 years or younger. Pharmacologically treated diabetes cases were obtained through a population-based registry of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund. Time series analysis was used to evaluate the changing patterns of the incidence and prevalence for type 1 and type 2 diabetes covering a 16-year period.

RESULTS

During the study period, 6,138 and 1,997 new T1DM and T2DM cases were observed, respectively. Newly diagnosed T2DM cases accounted for 24.5% of all incident diabetes cases. Incidence of T1DM increased from 16/100,000 to 23/100,000 (R ² = 0.7681; p < 0.0001). The male-to-female ratio among newly diagnosed T1DM patients did not change over the study period. Prevalence of T1DM rose from 114/100,000 to 209/100,000 (R ² = 0.9909; p < 0.0001). The prevalent T1DM cases showed significant male predominance in every year (p < 0.05). Incidence of T2DM decreased from 8/100,000 to 5/100,000 (R ² = 0.4977; p < 0.0014). The overall prevalence of T2DM did not change significantly. Prevalent T2DM cases showed significant female predominance in every year (p < 0.0001). A significant decrease in male-to female ratio was observed among newly diagnosed T2DM cases over the study period (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

According to these population-based Hungarian data of children and adolescents with diabetes, T1DM is still the most common form and its frequency continues to rise, affecting more males than females. A high proportion of patients have T2DM, affecting more females than males, but the occurrence of medically treated cases is not increasing. The decrease in male-to-female ratio in newly diagnosed T2DM cases needs further investigations.

Young adult patients with type 1 diabetes have a higher risk of mortality than those of similar age with type 2 diabetes: A nationwide analysis in Hungary

BACKGROUND

There are few papers comparing complications of type 1 diabetes with those of a similarly young age with type 2 diabetes. The aim of our nationwide study was to compare the risks of mortality and morbidities between the two types of diabetes (age ≤ 40).

METHODS

We identified all young adult patients with type 1 diabetes who were recorded in the database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund between 2001 and 2014 (n = 11 863) and compared them with a population of similar age with young adult type 2 diabetes (n = 47 931). The incidence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, any type of cancer, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hypoglycemia was followed from the onset of diabetes to the date of death or end of study period.

RESULTS

The risks of all-cause mortality were significantly higher in patients with type 1 compared with patients with type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio, 95%CI; 2.17, 1.95-2.41; P < .0001). The risks of myocardial infarction (0.90, 0.71-1.13; P = 0.36) and stroke (1.06, 0.87-1.29; P = .582) were not significantly different in type 1 compared with type 2. In contrast, the risk of cancer (1.35, 1.15-1.59; P = .0003), dialysis (2.20, 1.76-2.75; P < .0001), hypoglycemia (7.70, 6.45-9.18; P < .0001), and ketoacidosis (22.12, 19.60-25.00; P < .0001) was higher among patients with type 1 compared with those with type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

A comparatively higher incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia and higher risk of cancer and dialysis in patients with type 1 diabetes than in those with type 2 may play a role in the higher risk of mortality.

Decreasing incidence of pharmacologically treated Type 2 diabetes in Hungary from 2001 to 2016: A nationwide cohort study

AIMS

Incidence and prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) vary in different regions. Long-term nationwide epidemiological data are useful to assess trends over time. The aim of the study was to analyze the epidemiological changes of pharmacologically treated T2DM among people aged over 18 years in Hungary between 2001 and 2016.

METHODS

Annual incidence, prevalence and all-cause mortality rate of pharmacologically treated T2DM patients were evaluated from 2001 to 2016 using the central database of the National Institute of Health Insurance Fund Management. Data were adjusted to age using the 2013 European Standard Population.

RESULTS

Incident rate of pharmacologically treated T2DM decreased from 931.6 cases/100,000 person-years to 350.7 cases/100,000 person-years resulting in a -62.4% change (annual average change: -6.46% [95% CI: -7.64%; -5.67%]) between 2001 and 2016. The prevalence rate continuously increased from 4949.9 cases/100,000 persons in 2001 to the highest rate (8135.0 cases/100,000 persons) in 2011, which plateaued during the next 3 years and slightly decreased thereafter. Standardized all-cause mortality rate in people with T2DM decreased between 2001 and 2016 by 11.9% (annual average change: -0.84% [95% CI: -1.22%; -0.39%]).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a clearly decreasing incidence of pharmacologically treated T2DM in patients aged over 18 years, the prevalence rate increased from 2001 to 2011 followed by a 3-year-long plateau and a slight decrease thereafter. These long-term trends with the reduced mortality rate may indicate favorable effects of health promotional activities for preventing and treating T2DM.

Durability of insulin degludec plus liraglutide versus insulin glargine U100 as initial injectable therapy in type 2 diabetes (DUAL VIII): a multicentre, open-label, phase 3b, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Durability of glycaemic control might reduce disease burden and improve long-term outcomes. DUAL VIII investigated the durability of insulin degludec plus liraglutide (IDegLira) versus insulin glargine 100 units/mL (IGlar U100) in patients with type 2 diabetes with the use of a visit schedule that mirrored routine clinical practice.

METHODS

In this 104-week international, multicentre, open-label, phase 3b randomised controlled trial, insulin-naive patients aged 18 years and older, with HbA_1c between 7·0-11·0% (53-97 mmol/mol), BMI of 20 kg/m² or higher, on stable doses of oral antidiabetic drugs, were recruited from outpatient clinics. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1, with a simple sequential allocation randomisation schedule (block size of four), to IDegLira or IGlar U100, each treatment being an add-on to existing therapy. The internal safety committee, the independent external committee, and the personnel involved in defining the analysis sets were masked until the database was released for statistical analysis. Patients and all other investigators were not masked. In the IDegLira group, patients were given degludec 100 units/mL plus liraglutide 3·6 mg/mL in a 3 mL prefilled PDS290 pen for subcutaneous injection; in the IGlar U100 group, patients were given IGlar U100 solution, in a 3 mL prefilled Solostar pen for subcutaneous injection. Both treatments were given once daily at any time of day and it was recommended that the time of day remained the same throughout the trial. The primary endpoint was time from randomisation to need for treatment intensification (HbA_1c ≥7·0% [53 mmol/mol] at two consecutive visits, including week 26). Once patients met this criterion, the trial product was permanently discontinued and patients were not withdrawn from trial but rather remained on follow-up for the entire treatment and follow-up period. The primary analysis was in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02501161.

FINDINGS

From Jan 8, 2016, to Oct 3, 2018, 1345 patients were screened, of which 1012 (75·2%) were eligible and randomly assigned to either IDegLira (n=506) or IGlar U100 (n=506). 484 (96%) of 506 in the IDegLira group and 481 (95%) of 506 in the IGlar U100 group completed the trial. Baseline characteristics were similar and representative of patients eligible for basal insulin intensification (overall mean diabetes duration 10 years; HbA_1c 8·5% [69 mmol/mol]; fasting plasma glucose 10 mmol/L). Patients in the IDegLira group had significantly longer time until intensification was needed than those in the IGlar U100 group (median >2 years vs about 1 year). Fewer patients in the IDegLira group needed treatment intensification over 104 weeks than those in the IGlar U100 group (189 [37%] of 506 vs 335 [66%] of 506). The preplanned sensitivity analyses of the primary endpoint were in agreement with the primary analysis (hazard ratio 0·45 [95% CI 0·38-0·54]) in the proportional hazards regression model and the generalised log-rank test was also in favour of IDegLira (p<0·0001). No new or unexpected safety and tolerability issues were identified and there were no treatment-related deaths.

INTERPRETATION

In patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes on oral antidiabetic drugs, initial injectable therapy with IDegLira resulted in fewer patients reaching the treatment intensification criterion during 104 weeks versus IGlar U100, with longer durability of the treatment effect with IDegLira.

FUNDING

Novo Nordisk.

[De-escalation of antihyperglycemic treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes - when less is more]

Type 2 diabetes - due to its natural course - should be considered as a progressive chronic disease. Owing to this fact, antihyperglycemic treatment should be continuously increased stepwise in order to achieve proper glycemic control. Lifestyle modification should be initiated immediately after manifestation, shortly followed by metformin monotherapy, and later, dual or triple combinations and, finally, injectable derivatives - only insulin in the past - should be used for appropriate glycemic control. Guidelines about treatment approach of patients with type 2 diabetes unequivocally emphasize and describe in detail the need of treatment intensification, in other words, stepwise escalation in clinical practice. In the last couple of years, evidences provided that step down therapy, simplification of complex treatment regimens should also be considered in certain cases. This approach was generally called de-escalation in antihyperglycemic treatment which should be considered in patients with type 2 diabetes 1) after bariatric (metabolic) surgery; 2) with significant weight reduction irrespective of its origin; 3) with complex insulin regimens where re-evaluation of this treatment was missed; 4) with continuously decreasing renal function; 5) among elderly patients with comorbidities; 6) in social deprivation. In this article, data about therapeutic de-escalation of antihyperglycemic treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and first experiences with this treatment approach are summarized. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(31): 1207-1215.

Different Changes of Risks for Stroke and Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Hungary Between the Two Periods of 2001-2004 and 2010-2013

Objective: In recent decades several studies reported significant changes in the mortality and morbidity of patients with type 2 diabetes. In this Hungarian nationwide study, we assessed the changes of mortality and cardiovascular risks comparing a group of patient diagnosed during the two periods of 2001-2004 and 2010-2013. Research Design and Methods: We identified patients with type 2 diabetes recorded in the database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund aiming to assess changes of risks for all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke during the follow-up periods of 48 months. Results: We included 274,109 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes between 2001 and 2004, while only 152,678 in the 2010-2013 period. The risk of all-cause mortality at the beginning of the follow-up was not different comparing 2010-2013 to 2001-2004 (HR 1.03), and a mild but significant decrease could be detected (HR 0.87) after 48 months. A lower risk for myocardial infarction was documented in the second month after the diagnosis of diabetes (HR 0.67), which remained constant during the study period and almost the same after 48 months (HR 0.73). On the contrary, our study verified a slightly increased risk for stroke close to the diagnosis [HR 1.06 (1.00-1.13)] and a decreased one [HR 0.72 (0.69-0.79)] at the end of the study. Conclusions: An increased risk for stroke followed by a sharp decrease, and an unchanged risk for myocardial infarction in the Hungarian population with type 2 diabetes possibly resulted in a mild decrease of all-cause mortality between 2001 and 2013.