Immediate Impact of Switching from Dipeptidyl Peptidase4 (DPP4) Inhibitors to Low-Dose (0.3mg) Liraglutide on Glucose Profiles: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Abstract

As treatment agents for diabetes, liraglutide is a long-acting glucagon-like peptide1 receptor agonist, and dipeptidyl peptidase4 (DPP4) inhibitors are widely used because of their safety and tolerability. Regular treatment with liraglutide has been reported to significantly reduce blood glucose levels, but the impact of low-dose (0.3mg) liraglutide on blood glucose levels immediately after treatment switching from a DPP4 inhibitor remains unknown. We conducted a single-arm, retrospective, observational study in 55 inpatients with type2 diabetes (T2D) to investigate the changes (Δ) in their blood glucose levels at six time points (6-point) from the day before (day-1) to the day after (day1) by switching the antidiabetic treatment from a DPP4 inhibitor to liraglutide 0.3mg (low-dose liraglutide) once daily. We also attempted to identify factors associated with the blood glucose-lowering effects of liraglutide. The median values of the changes in fasting, preprandial, and postprandial blood glucose levels and the fluctuations in the blood glucose levels expressed as the standard deviation of the 6-point blood glucose levels were significantly lower on day1 than on day-1 (P < 0.05, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P < 0.01, respectively); there were no cases of severe hypoglycemia. The Δblood glucose levels were not associated with the baseline serum hemoglobin A1c values or with any markers of the insulin secreting capacity. There were no associations between the previously used blood glucose-lowering drug and the Δblood glucose levels. Switching from a DPP4 inhibitor to low-dose (0.3mg) liraglutide once daily significantly reduced the blood glucose levels and excursions of the blood glucose levels even from the very day after the treatment switch, with no serious adverse events.