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Adding saxagliptin to extended-release metformin vs. uptitrating metformin dosage

Fonseca V, Zhu T, Karyekar C, Hirshberg B

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 2012

144 participants

Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether patients taking metformin for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have improved glycaemic control without compromising tolerability by adding an agent with a complementary mechanism of action vs. uptitrating metformin.

METHODS: Adults with T2DM and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) between 7.0 and 10.5% receiving metformin extended release (XR) 1500 mg/day for ≥8 weeks were randomized to receive saxagliptin 5 mg added to metformin XR 1500 mg (n = 138) or metformin XR uptitrated to 2000 mg/day (n = 144). Endpoints were change from baseline to week 18 in HbA1c (primary), 120-min postprandial glucose (PPG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and the proportion of patients achieving HbA1c <7%.

RESULTS: At week 18, the adjusted mean reduction from baseline HbA1c was -0.88% for saxagliptin + metformin XR and -0.35% for uptitrated metformin XR (difference, -0.52%; p < 0.0001). For 120-min PPG and FPG, differences in adjusted mean change from baseline between saxagliptin + metformin XR and uptitrated metformin XR were -1.3 mmol/l (-23.32 mg/dl) (p = 0.0013) and -0.73 mmol/l (-13.18 mg/dl) (p = 0.0030), respectively. More patients achieved HbA1c <7.0% with saxagliptin + metformin XR than with uptitrated metformin XR (37.2 vs. 26.1%; p = 0.0459). The proportions of patients experiencing any adverse events (AEs) were generally similar between groups; neither group showed any notable difference in hypoglycaemia or gastrointestinal AEs.

CONCLUSION: Adding saxagliptin to…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 144 participants or records.

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