Comparative Cardiovascular Risks of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors: Analyses of Real-world Data in Korea

Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver-Taiwan Society of Cardiology Taiwan position statement for the management of metabolic dysfunction- associated fatty liver disease and cardiovascular diseases

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is an increasingly common liver disease worldwide. MAFLD is diagnosed based on the presence of steatosis on images, histological findings, or serum marker levels as well as the presence of at least one of the three metabolic features: overweight/obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic risk factors. MAFLD is not only a liver disease but also a factor contributing to or related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which is the major etiology responsible for morbidity and mortality in patients with MAFLD. Hence, understanding the association between MAFLD and CVD, surveillance and risk stratification of MAFLD in patients with CVD, and assessment of the current status of MAFLD management are urgent requirements for both hepatologists and cardiologists. This Taiwan position statement reviews the literature and provides suggestions regarding the epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, risk stratification, nonpharmacological interventions, and potential drug treatments of MAFLD, focusing on its association with CVD.

Comparison of the effects of gemigliptin versus glimepiride on cardiac function in patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled with metformin: The gemi-heart study

AIM

To investigate the effects of gemigliptin on cardiac function and compare the effects of gemigliptin and glimepiride in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty T2D patients being treated with metformin were assigned to a gemigliptin group (50 mg daily) or a glimepiride group (2 mg daily) for 24 weeks. The preadjudicated extension period was up to 52 weeks. Glucose metabolism variables and cardiac biomarkers were measured. Echocardiography was used to evaluate cardiac functions.

RESULTS

The HbA1c levels decreased significantly from 8.1% ± 0.6% to 6.8% ± 0.6% in the gemigliptin group and from 8.1% ± 0.6% to 7.0% ± 0.7% in the glimepiride group, without a between-group difference. Gemigliptin reduced insulin resistance, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, and increased adiponectin level compared with glimepiride therapy. Gemigliptin induced favourable changes in body composition. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume decreased in the gemigliptin group but increased in the glimepiride group, with a borderline between-group difference. Cardiac biomarkers did not change significantly in either group. At 52 weeks, the HbA1c levels in both groups increased slightly; 7.3% ± 0.8% in the gemigliptin group versus 7.7% ± 1.3% in the glimepiride group, without a between-group difference.

CONCLUSIONS

Gemigliptin had a comparable glucose-lowering efficacy without deleterious effects on cardiac functions or on biomarkers reflective of myocardial injury or heart failure during the 24-week observation period. However, larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Effect of metformin monotherapy and dual or triple concomitant therapy with metformin on glycemic control and lipid profile management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background

In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of metformin-based dual therapy versus triple therapy on glycemic control and lipid profile changes in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

In total, 60 patients were eligible for participation in this study. Patients received at least 24 months of metformin monotherapy, dual therapy, or triple therapy with metformin plus linagliptin (a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor) or dapagliflozin (a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor). Blood samples were collected from each patient, followed by evaluation of changes in their blood glucose control and lipid profile-related markers.

Results

A combination of metformin and DPP4 and SGLT2 inhibitor therapy more effectively reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p = 0.016) than metformin monotherapy. A combination of metformin and DPP4 and SGLT2 inhibitor therapy more effectively improved total cholesterol (Chol, p = 0.049) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than metformin monotherapy (p = 0.037). Metformin plus linagliptin dual therapy was more effective than metformin monotherapy in reducing glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C, p = 0.011). Patients who received a combination of linagliptin and empagliflozin showed a significant reduction in their fasting blood glucose (p = 0.019), HbA1c (p = 0.036), and Chol (p = 0.010) compared with those who received linagliptin dual therapy. Furthermore, patients who received metformin plus dapagliflozin and saxagliptin showed significantly reduced Chol (p = 0.011) and LDL-C (p = 0.035) levels compared with those who received metformin plus dapagliflozin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, dual therapy with metformin and linagliptin yields similar glycemic control ability to triple therapy. Among metformin combination triple therapy, triple therapy of empagliflozin and linagliptin might have a better glycemic control ability than dual therapy of linagliptin. Moreover, Triple therapy of dapagliflozin and saxagliptin might have a better lipid control ability than dual therapy of dapagliflozin.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors reduced long-term cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients after percutaneous coronary intervention via insulin-like growth factor-1 axis

Dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) have been the most used antidiabetic medications worldwide due to their good safety profiles and tolerability with a low risk of hypoglycemia, however, large cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) have not shown any significant the prognostic superiority. On the contrary, since observational studies have suggested the effects of DPP4i are enhanced some populations, such as Asians and those who without overweight, their prognostic benefit is still under debate. The aim of this study was thus to assess the prognostic impact of DPP4i in patients with both diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) through the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis, a substrate of DPP4. This single-center analysis involved consecutive Japanese diabetic patients who underwent PCI for the first time between 2008 and 2018 (n = 885). Primary and secondary endpoints were set as cardiovascular (CV) death and the composite of CV death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke (3P-MACE). Serum levels of IGF-1 and its main binding protein (insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3: IGFBP-3) were measured. In consequences, unadjusted Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed reduced incidences of CV-death and 3P-MACE by DPP4i, which was particularly enhanced in patients who were not overweight (BMI ≤ 25). Multivariate Cox hazard analyses consistently indicated reduced risks of CV death by DPP4i at PCI (hazard ratio (HR) 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16-0.82, p = 0.01) and 3P-MACE (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25-0.84, p = 0.01), respectively. Moreover, elevated IGF-1 activity indicated by the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio was associated with decreased risks of both endpoints and it was significantly higher in patients with DPP4i (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate beneficial effects of DPP4i to improve outcomes in Japanese diabetic patients following PCI, which might be mediated by DPP4-IGF-1 axis.

Cardiovascular surrogate markers and cardiometabolic therapeutics: a viewpoint learned from clinical trials on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors

Clinical trials are often performed to investigate the effects of various types of cardiometabolic therapies on cardiovascular surrogate markers, including vascular function and biomarkers. This study platform has the potential to provide information on the suspected actions of drugs and mechanistic insights into their prognostic impact. However, despite using the same class of drugs and similar study designs we are often faced with inconsistent and even conflicting results, possibly leading to some confusion in the clinical setting. When interpreting these results, it is important to investigate what caused the differences and carefully assess the information, taking into account the research situation and the patient population investigated. Using this approach, assessment of the impact on cardiovascular surrogate markers observed in clinical studies from multiple perspectives should help to better understand the potential cardiovascular effects. In this commentary we discuss how we should interpret the effects of cardiometabolic therapeutics on vascular surrogate markers, based on viewpoints learned from the results of clinical trials on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. This learning strategy could also be helpful for appropriate selection of drugs for evidence-based, patient-centric, tailored medication.

Effect of Teneligliptin versus Sulfonylurea on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Real-World Study in Korea

BACKGROUND

Results regarding the cardiovascular (CV) effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are inconsistent. This study aimed to assess the effects of teneligliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, on the risk of major CV outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients compared to sulfonylurea.

METHODS

From January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017, we conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. A total of 6,682 T2DM patients who were newly prescribed DPP-4 inhibitors or sulfonylurea were selected and matched in a 1:1 ratio by propensity score. The hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality, hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), all-cause mortality or HHF, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and hypoglycemia were assessed.

RESULTS

During 641 days of follow-up, the use of teneligliptin was not associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85 to 1.19), HHF (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.14), all-cause mortality or HHF (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.14), MI (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.20), and stroke (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.17) compared to the use of sulfonylurea. However, it was associated with a significantly lower risk of hypoglycemia (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.94) compared to sulfonylurea therapy.

CONCLUSION

Among T2DM patients, teneligliptin therapy was not associated with an increased risk of CV events including HHF, but was associated with a lower risk of hypoglycemia compared to sulfonylurea therapy.

A prospective cohort study on effects of gemigliptin on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (OPTIMUS study)

This study was performed to evaluate the long-term cardiovascular safety of gemigliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). After screening, eligible patients with T2DM were enrolled, received gemigliptin, and were followed up for a median of 2.50 years. The primary outcome was a composite of confirmed cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal ischemic stroke (3-point major adverse cardiovascular event [MACE]). The key secondary outcomes were incidence of all-cause mortality and any other cardiovascular events. A total of 5179 patients were included in the study and 5113 were treated with gemigliptin. Overall, the primary outcome occurred in 26 patients within 12 months (estimated incidence by Cox proportional hazard model 0.49%, 95% CI 0.29–0.69%) and in 54 patients within 54 months (estimated incidence from Cox proportional hazard model 1.35%, 95% CI 0.92–1.77%). During the study period, the incidence rates of each component of the primary composite outcome were 0.04% (0.2 events per 1000 person-years) for cardiovascular death, 0.51% (2.2 events per 1000 person-years) for nonfatal myocardial infarction, and 0.61% (2.5 events per 1000 person-years) for nonfatal ischemic stroke. The incidence of all-cause mortality was 0.82% (3.2 events per 1000 person-years) and the incidences of other cardiovascular events were all less than 0.3%. In conclusion, T2DM patients who received gemigliptin exhibited a low incidence of the primary composite MACE and all-cause mortality. Therefore, the use of gemigliptin is expected to be safe without an increase in cardiovascular risk.

Trial registration: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT02290301).

Cardiovascular Research Using the Korean National Health Information Database

The Korean National Health Information Database (NHID) contains nationwide claims data, including sociodemographic data, health care utilization, health screening data, and healthcare provider information. To compensate for the limitations of randomized clinical trials, real-world observational studies using claims data have emerged as a novel research tool. We summarized the structure of the Korean NHID and the recent researches conducted in the field of cardiovascular science. Epidemiological studies, prescription patterns, temporal trends, comparison of effectiveness and safety of treatments, variability index using laboratory data, and rare intractable disease constitute interesting topics of research in cardiovascular science using the NHID. The operational definition of covariates and clinical outcomes is important for researchers interested in using the NHID data as new tools to prove their hypothesis. A step-by-step approach adopted by a team of data scientists, epidemiologists, statisticians, and clinical researchers may be most effective while designing research studies. The ultimate direction of research using the NHID should aim to improve the welfare of the public by promoting public health, reducing medical costs, and guiding healthcare policies.