In a nutshell
The authors aimed to determine the effect and safety of linagliptin (Tradjenta) in patients with type 2 diabetes with liver disease. The authors concluded that linagliptin is an effective and safe treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and liver disease.
Some background
Diabetes raises the risk of non-alcohol related liver disease, which is a condition where excess fat builds up in the liver. Fat build-up has no symptoms but it raises the risk of developing liver inflammation and scarring. This occurs in at least half of type 2 diabetes patients. Some treatments for type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of liver disease in patients and promote liver damage.
Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor. This treatment reduces glucose levels, increases insulin secretion and reduces the speed at which food empties from the stomach. It is not clear what effect this treatment has on patients with type 2 diabetes who suffer from additional liver complications.
Methods & findings
The aim of this study was to determine the effect and safety of linagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes with underlying liver complications.
This study combined the data from 17 prior studies, including 7,009 patients overall. 574 patients had additional liver problems. 385 patients of these patients received linagliptin. 189 patients received a placebo (substance with no effect on the body).
At week 24, the decrease in HbAc1 levels (a measurement of average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months) in linagliptin patients was 0.75%. It was 0.20% in patients treated with placebo. There was no difference in the effect of linagliptin in patients with or without liver disease.
13.5% of linagliptin patients experienced side effects to treatment. This was compared to 14.8% in placebo patients. 10.4% of the linagliptin group experienced hypoglycaemia (low levels of glucose in the bloodstream) as a side effect. This was compared to 15.9% in the placebo group.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that linagliptin is an effective and safe treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes with liver disease.
Published By :
Journal of Diabetes and its Complications
Date :
Jul 27, 2016
