A simulation of the comparative long-term effectiveness of liraglutide and glimepiride monotherapies in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the complications of diabetes mellitus and is caused by neuron injury induced by hyperglycemic circumstances. The incidence of DPN varies among different countries and regions, ranging from nearly 20% to over 70%. Patients with DPN may encounter symmetric pain or discomfort of the extremes, leading to reduced quality of life and even amputation. The pharmacological management for painful DPN mainly includes antidepressants due to their analgesic effects. Nevertheless, effective therapies to impact the pathogenesis and progression of DPN are lacking. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists show efficacy in controlling blood glucose and serve as a treatment modality for diabetes mellitus. In recent years, evidence has been proposed that GLP-1R agonists exert neuroprotective effects through modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. On the other hand, clinical evidence on the potential of GLP-1R agonists for treating DPN is still controversial and limited. This narrative review summarizes the preclinical and clinical studies investigating the capacity of GLP-1R agonists as therapeutic agents for DPN.

Global trends and focuses of GLP-1RA in renal disease: a bibliometric analysis and visualization from 2005 to 2022

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) is a new class of glucose-lowing agents with the kidney benefit effect. This paper aims at finding the current state and hotspots of the research on GLP-1RA in kidney disease by using bibliometric methodologies and visualization maps to analyze publications and provide the direction for future studies on that topic. Literature information was obtained by retrieving the WoSCC database. Then, software like Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace was used to analyze and process obtained data. Bibliometric analysis and visualization of nations, authors, organizations, journals, keywords, and references were also done by VOSviewer and CiteSpace. A total of 991 publications written by 4747 authors from 1637 organizations in 75 countries on GLP-1RA in renal disease in Web of Science Core Collection were retrieved. The number of publications and citations kept growing from 2015 to 2022. The USA, Univ Copenhagen, and Rossing Peter are the leading country, organization, and author on this topic, respectively. All literature was published in 346 journals, and DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM is the journal with the most contributions. Meanwhile, most references are from DIABETES CARE. "Cardiovascular outcome" is the most frequent keyword in the total publications, and the reference cited most times is "Liraglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes" by Marso SP. The topic of GLP-1RA in renal disease has attracted more and more attention all over the world. Existing studies are mainly about clinical use in patients with diabetes, and studies on the mechanism are lacking.

Incretins and microvascular complications of diabetes: neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and microangiopathy

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs, incretin mimetics) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is, incretin enhancers) are glucose-lowering therapies with proven cardiovascular safety, but their effect on microvascular disease is not fully understood. Both therapies increase GLP-1 receptor agonism, which is associated with attenuation of numerous pathological processes that may lead to microvascular benefits, including decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased inflammation and improved vascular function. DPP-4is also increase stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), which is associated with neovascularisation and tissue repair. Rodent studies demonstrate several benefits of these agents in the prevention or reversal of nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy, but evidence from human populations is less clear. For nephropathy risk in human clinical trials, meta-analyses demonstrate that GLP-1RAs reduce the risk of a composite renal outcome (doubling of serum creatinine, eGFR reduction of 30%, end-stage renal disease or renal death), whereas the benefits of DPP-4is appear to be limited to reductions in the risk of albuminuria. The relationship between GLP-1RAs and retinopathy is less clear. Many large trials and meta-analyses show no effect, but an observed increase in the risk of retinopathy complications with semaglutide therapy (a GLP-1RA) in the SUSTAIN-6 trial warrants caution, particularly in individuals with baseline retinopathy. Similarly, DPP-4is are associated with increased retinopathy risk in both trials and meta-analysis. The association between GLP-1RAs and peripheral neuropathy is unclear due to little trial evidence. For DPP-4is, one trial and several observational studies show a reduced risk of peripheral neuropathy, with others reporting no effect. Evidence in other less-established microvascular outcomes, such as microvascular angina, cerebral small vessel disease, skeletal muscle microvascular disease and autonomic neuropathies (e.g. cardiac autonomic neuropathy, gastroparesis, erectile dysfunction), is sparse. In conclusion, GLP-1RAs are protective against nephropathy, whereas DPP-4is are protective against albuminuria and potentially peripheral neuropathy. Caution is advised with DPP-4is and semaglutide, particularly for patients with background retinopathy, due to increased risk of retinopathy. Well-designed trials powered for microvascular outcomes are needed to clarify associations of incretin therapies and microvascular diseases.

Cost effectiveness of liraglutide in type II diabetes: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

As novel treatments for type II diabetes enter the market, there is a need to assess their long-term clinical and economic outcomes against currently available treatment alternatives. Objective compilation and evaluation of current pharmacoeconomic evidence can assist payers and decision makers in determining the appropriate place in therapy of a new medication.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to review the existing pharmacoeconomic literature evaluating the cost effectiveness and overall costs of treatment associated with liraglutide in type II diabetes.

DATA SOURCES

Medical literature indexed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EconLit through 1 June 2014 was searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Full-text, English-language cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and other cost analyses in type II diabetes that compared liraglutide to one or more anti-diabetic agents were included. Initial screening was based on relevance of titles and abstracts followed by examination of the study methods of each remaining manuscript. Studies conducting original pharmacoeconomic analyses were chosen for inclusion.

STUDY APPRAISAL METHODS

Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved, and information on the study design and results was abstracted. Abstracted data elements were chosen and assessed based on the authors' experience as well as criteria set forth by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Task Force. Additionally, reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and selected sensitivity analysis results were converted to $US, year 2012 values, in order to facilitate comparison across studies.

RESULTS

A total of six cost studies and seven cost-utility studies were identified for inclusion. Across cost studies, liraglutide treatment resulted in costs ranging from a loss of $US2,730 (liraglutide 1.8 mg vs. sitagliptin; pharmacy costs only) over a 1-year time horizon to a savings of $US9,367 (liraglutide 1.8 mg vs. glimepiride; diabetes-related complication costs only) over a 30-year time horizon. Cost-utility analysis results reported base-case ICERs ranging from $US15,774 (vs. glimepiride) to $US40,128 (vs. rosiglitazone) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) ($US, year 2012) for liraglutide 1.2 mg and $US8,497 (vs. exenatide) to $US66,031 (vs. rosiglitazone)/QALY ($US, year 2012) for liraglutide 1.8 mg. Estimates were most sensitive to variations in time horizon and cardiovascular complication rates. Based on frequently cited, country-specific cost-utility thresholds, liraglutide was determined to have a probability of being cost effective of between 58 % (liraglutide 1.8 mg vs. sitagliptin) and 93 % (liraglutide 1.2 mg vs. glimepiride).

LIMITATIONS

Weaknesses of included studies related primarily to study model inputs that assumed long-term morbidity and mortality benefits in favor of liraglutide based on improvements in clinical biomarkers observed in short-term clinical trials. The exclusion of drug acquisition costs in two identified cost studies as well as the assumed lifetime duration of treatment with liraglutide in several cost-utility studies were also identified as weaknesses. The authors' review was limited by the possibility of incomplete literature retrieval, unintended omission of relevant data elements, and comparison of costs and ICERs generated from healthcare systems from differing countries.

CONCLUSIONS

The current literature presents liraglutide as a cost-effective adjunct treatment for type II diabetes that may also be associated with a reduction in diabetes-related complication costs; however, ICER values are largely dependent on assumptions regarding the benefits of long-term liraglutide treatment and the time horizon of the analysis. Real-world use may make liraglutide unattractive from a payer and policy-maker perspective.

Evidence-based practice use of incretin-based therapy in the natural history of diabetes

The incretin class of anti-hyperglycemic agents, including glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-inhibitors, is an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for the management of appropriate patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise and/or with the agents metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, or any combination thereof. More recently, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications for incretins were expanded to include use with basal insulin. This review article takes an evidence-based practice approach in discussing the importance of aggressive treatment for diabetes, the principles of incretin physiology and pathophysiology, use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, and patient types and contexts where incretin therapy has been found beneficial, from metabolic syndrome to overt diabetes.

Physiologic and weight-focused treatment strategies for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus: the metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, and insulin (MGI) approach

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is rising in association with an increase in obesity rates. Current treatment options for patients with T2DM include lifestyle modifications and numerous antidiabetic medications. Despite the availability of effective and well-tolerated treatments, many patients do not achieve recommended glycemic targets. Lack of efficacy is complicated by the wide range of available agents and little specificity in treatment guidelines, thus challenging clinicians to understand the relative benefits and risks of individual options for each patient. In this article, lifestyle intervention strategies and current antidiabetic agents are evaluated for their efficacy, safety, and weight-loss potential. Because of the heterogeneous and progressive nature of T2DM, physicians should advocate approaches that emphasize weight management, limit the risk of hypoglycemia and adverse events, and focus on the core pathophysiologic defects in patients with T2DM. A healthy, plant-based diet that is low in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates but high in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, coupled with resistance and aerobic exercise regimens, are recommended for patients with T2DM. When necessary, drug intervention, described in this article as the MGI (metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, and insulin) approach, should begin with metformin and progress to the early addition of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists because of their weight loss potential and ability to target multiple pathophysiologic defects in patients with T2DM. For most patients, treatments that induce weight gain and hypoglycemia should be avoided. Long-acting insulin should be initiated if glycemic control is not achieved with metformin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist combination therapy, focusing on long-acting insulin analogs that induce the least weight gain and have the lowest hypoglycemic risk. Ultimately, a patient-centered treatment approach that addresses the core pathologies of T2DM and obesity will not only increase overall efficacy and the likelihood that a patient adheres to treatment, but may also improve a patient's mental well-being and quality of life.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 protects against cardiac microvascular injury in diabetes via a cAMP/PKA/Rho-dependent mechanism

Impaired cardiac microvascular function contributes to cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) exhibits potential cardioprotective properties in addition to its glucose-lowering effect. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of GLP-1 on cardiac microvascular injury in diabetes and the underlying mechanism involved. Experimental diabetes was induced using streptozotocin in rats. Cohorts of diabetic rats received a 12-week treatment of vildagliptin (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor) or exenatide (GLP-1 analog). Experimental diabetes attenuated cardiac function, glucose uptake, and microvascular barrier function, which were significantly improved by vildagliptin or exenatide treatment. Cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) were isolated and cultured in normal or high glucose medium with or without GLP-1. GLP-1 decreased high-glucose-induced reactive oxygen species production and apoptotic index, as well as the levels of NADPH oxidase such as p47(phox) and gp91(phox). Furthermore, cAMP/PKA (cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity) was increased and Rho-expression was decreased in high-glucose-induced CMECs after GLP-1 treatment. In conclusion, GLP-1 could protect the cardiac microvessels against oxidative stress, apoptosis, and the resultant microvascular barrier dysfunction in diabetes, which may contribute to the improvement of cardiac function and cardiac glucose metabolism in diabetes. The protective effects of GLP-1 are dependent on downstream inhibition of Rho through a cAMP/PKA-mediated pathway.

Liraglutide: a review of its use in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Liraglutide (Victoza®) is a subcutaneously administered glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist produced by recombinant DNA technology and used as an adjunct to diet and exercise in the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This article reviews the clinical efficacy and tolerability of liraglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes, and provides a summary of its pharmacological properties. Recently published pharmacoeconomic studies of liraglutide are also reviewed. Administered subcutaneously, liraglutide (usually 1.2 or 1.8 mg once daily) generally produced greater improvements in glycaemic control than active comparators or placebo when administered as monotherapy or in combination with one or two oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) to adults with type 2 diabetes in numerous randomized, controlled phase III trials. These included six trials in the LEAD trial programme that was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of liraglutide across a continuum of antihyperglycaemic management for patients with type 2 diabetes. Liraglutide was generally well tolerated, with a low risk of hypoglycaemia evident, in the phase III trials. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal and included nausea and diarrhoea; most events were mild to moderate in severity and decreased in incidence over time. In conclusion, liraglutide has an important place in the management of adults with type 2 diabetes across a continuum of care. As well as providing effective glycaemic control, liraglutide improves pancreatic β-cell function and leads to bodyweight loss, thereby addressing some of the unmet needs of patients treated with traditional OADs.

Differentiating among incretin-based therapies in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors have become important options for the management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. While the GLP-1R agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors act on the incretin system to regulate glucose homeostasis, there are important clinical differences among the five agents currently available in the U.S. For example, the GLP-1R agonists require subcutaneous administration, produce pharmacological levels of GLP-1 activity, promote weight loss, have a more robust glucose-lowering effect, and have a higher incidence of adverse gastrointestinal effects. In contrast, the DPP-4 inhibitors are taken orally, increase the half-life of endogenous GLP-1, are weight neutral, and are more commonly associated with nasopharyngitis. Differences in efficacy, safety, tolerability, and cost among the incretin-based therapies are important to consider in the primary care management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

GLP-1 receptor agonists today

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex, progressive disease affecting an estimated 257 million people worldwide. A number of unmet needs exist with traditional T2DM therapies, which can lead to insufficient glycaemic control and increased risk of diabetes-associated complications. An emerging class of diabetes therapeutics, the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, appear to address many of the unmet needs of patients with T2DM. This review summarises the recent findings and current clinical guidelines of the currently approved GLP-1 receptor agonists and explores the new GLP-1 receptor agonists in development. It also concentrates on the physiological basis for early use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, their use as an alternative to insulin therapy, the rationale for combining them with insulin and their cost-effectiveness.

Weight Management in Overweight and Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Obesity is recognised as an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes, inducing insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction. These obesity-related defects tend to progress following weight gain and can eventually lead to worsening hyperglycaemia over time. Thus, effective weight management is crucial for glycaemic control in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Current standard strategies for weight management in these patients include lifestyle interventions and pharmacotherapy. Bariatric surgery has become a promising new option for the treatment of obese patients with type 2 diabetes and in recent years incretin-based therapies have become available, which exhibit favourable effects on body weight. Herein, the efficacy of available weight loss interventions is assessed and the role of newer antidiabetic agents examined, focusing on incretin-based therapies.

Liraglutide

Each month, subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service receive five to six well-documented monographs on drugs that are newly released or are in late phase 3 trials. The monographs are targeted to the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee. Subscribers also receive monthly 1-page summary monographs on each agent that are useful for agendas and pharmacy/nursing inservices. A comprehensive target drug utilization evaluation (DUE) is also provided each month. With a subscription, the monographs are sent in print and are also available online. Monographs can be customized to meet the needs of a facility. Subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service also receive access to a pharmacy bulletin board, The Formulary Information Exchange (The F.I.X.). All topics pertinent to clinical and hospital pharmacy are discussed on The F.I.X. Through the cooperation of The Formulary, Hospital Pharmacy publishes selected reviews in this column. For more information about The Formulary Monograph Service or The F.I.X., call The Formulary at 800-322-4349 or e-mail Dennis.Cada@wolterskluwer.com . The July 2010 monograph topics are everolimus in renal transplantation, miconazole buccal, sipuleucel-T, apixaban, and polidocanol. The DUE/MUE is on everolimus.