In a nutshell
This study examined the safety and effectiveness of lixisenatide (Lyxumia) in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. Researchers reported significant improvements in blood sugar levels and body weight with lixisenatide.
Some background
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition in elderly people. Lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and oral antidiabetic medications are first-line treatments for type 2 diabetes. Sometimes, these are not enough to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and insulin treatment is needed. A common side effect of insulin treatment is a drop in blood sugar levels below normal. This is particularly common in elderly patients and can lead to a number of complications.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, such as lixisenatide, are recently developed treatments to help achieve glycemic control. Lixisenatide causes the body to release more insulin from the pancreas, thus lowering blood sugar levels, particularly after meals. The safety and effectiveness of lixisenatide in elderly patients has not been fully studied.
Methods & findings
The aim of this study was to examine the safety and effectiveness of lixisenatide in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.
350 type 2 diabetes patients aged 70 years or older were included. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a daily dose of lixisenatide before breakfast or placebo (control drug with no active effect) in addition to their existing antidiabetic medication. Treatment lasted for 24 weeks. Blood samples were taken to measure HbA1c levels (a measurement of average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months) before and after treatment.
Average HbA1c before treatment was 65 mmol/mol. This was significantly reduced in the lixisenatide group. At 24 weeks, average HbA1c levels were 57 mmol/mol with an average decrease of 0.57%. At 24 weeks, the average HbA1c levels in the placebo group remained around 64 mmol/mol.
The reduction in glucose levels 2 hours after food intake (based on blood plasma tests) was significantly greater with lixisenatide compared to placebo. A greater decrease in body weight was also observed with lixisenatide (average decrease was 1.47 kg) versus placebo (average decrease was 0.16 kg). Patients in the lixisenatide group reported a stronger improvement in physical health at 23 weeks than patients in the placebo group.
Abnormally low blood sugar levels were more common in the lixisenatide group (17.6%) than in the placebo group (10.3%). 21 patients from each group discontinued treatment. This was due to side effects in 15 patients from the lixisenatide group and in 10 patients from the placebo group.
The bottom line
Researchers concluded that lixisenatide is a safe and effective treatment for elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.
The fine print
These findings may not generalize to frail patients or patients with cognitive impairment, as these were not studied in this paper.
Published By :
Diabetes Care
Date :
Feb 10, 2017
