Treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors does not increase the chance of pancreatitis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective analysis was done in type 2 diabetes patients to study whether treatment with either sitagliptin or other Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors increased the risk of pancreatitis. Comparison with patients treated with other Oral Antidiabetic Drugs (OADs) was done.

METHODS

Asian Indian type 2 diabetic subjects (duration > or = 5 years) treated with sitagliptin or other DPP-4 inhibitors (n = 957) were selected from the clinic records. Control group included patients treated with other hypoglycaemic agents and had serum lipase and/or amylase estimated (n = 718). HbA1c and serum levels of lipase and/or amylase were measured. For lipase, values > or = 90 IU/l and for amylase, values > or = 150 IU/l were considered abnormal.

RESULTS

Percentages with elevated lipase values were similar among patients on sitagliptin or other gliptins and control subjects. Similar percentages of patients using DPP-4 inhibitors (6.9%) or other hypoglycaemic agents (8.2%) had elevated levels of lipase. Abnormal amylase values were more common among the control subjects vs those using DPP-4 inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

Present analysis suggests that use of DPP-4 inhibitors is safe in patients who do not have contraindications for its use.