BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) reduce cardiovascular events, improve glycemic control, promote weight loss, and slow progression of nephropathy. Despite these benefits and professional society treatment guidelines recommendations, GLP-1RAs remain under-utilized in people with advanced CKD and ESKD due to tolerability and safety concerns.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing clinical outcomes and medication use details after initiating GLP-1RA or dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) in people with T2D and advanced CKD or ESKD. Eligible patients were identified via electronic health record query with extraction of baseline demographics, vital signs, and laboratory values. A manual chart review was undertaken to confirm eligibility, medication use, and extract a detailed account of all side effects.
RESULTS: A total of 236 eligible patients (149 in the GLP-1RA group and 87 in the DPP-4i group) were identified. The average duration of treatment was 1036 (±909.9) and 1109 (±1090.9) days for GLP-1RA and DPP-4i, respectively. The average percentage weight loss from baseline to 36 months of treatment in the GLP-1RA group was -9.6 % (95 % CI, -11.3 to -7.8) versus -2.4 % (95 % CI, -5.4 to 0.5) in the DPP-4i group (estimated treatment difference (ETD) -7.1 (95 % CI, -10.6 to -3.7) percentage-points, p < 0.001). The change in HbA1c from baseline to 36 months of treatment was significantly greater in the GLP-1RA (-1.0 %) compared with the DPP-4i group (0.2 %) (ETD -1.2 (95 % CI, -2.1 to -0.3) percentage-points, p = 0.04).
CONCLUSION: In patients with T2D and advanced CKD or ESKD, treatment with GLP-1RAs in a real-world setting had long treatment persistence, and compared to DPP-4is, was associated with greater weight loss and glycemic improvement.
