Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of the DPP-4 inhibitors in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Pharmacoeconomic researches have confirmed that hypoglycemic treatment strategies including a dipeptidyl peptidase-Ⅳ (DPP-4) inhibitor exhibit excellent cost-effectiveness when compared with others.Direct comparisons with active glucose-lowering comparators in drug-naive patients have demonstrated that DPP-4 inhibitors exert slightly less pronounced HbA1c reduction than metformin (with the advantage of better gastrointestinal tolerability) and similar glucose-lowering effects compared with a thiazolidinedione (TZD,with the advantage of no weight gain).In metformin-treated patients,gliptins were associated with similar HbA1C reductions compared with a sulphonylurea(SU,with the advantage of no weight gain,considerably fewer hypoglycaemic episodes and no need for titration) and a TZD (with the advantage of no weight gain and better overall tolerability).In addition,excellent efficacy could also reduce the incidence of diabetic complications and increase patient's work productivity and thus lower indirect cost. Key words: Dipeptidyl peptidase-Ⅳ inhibitors; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Pharmacoeconomics; Vildagliptin