Clinical Impact of 5 Years of Liraglutide Treatment on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Real-Life Setting in Italy: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Based on existing data regarding the durability of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes, this study aimed to assess its long-term effectiveness at 5 years and its overall impact on cardiovascular (CV) risk.

METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective observational study. Liraglutide was used under routine clinical practice conditions. Changes from baseline to 60 months in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body weight, blood pressure, and lipid profile were assessed. United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) scores were calculated at baseline and after 60 months to assess changes in the estimated 5- and 10-year risk for fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease (CHD) and fatal and nonfatal stroke.

RESULTS: Overall, 103 patients (age 59.0 ± 7.9 years, diabetes duration 10.4 ± 6.8 years) were involved in the study. After 60 months, HbA1c levels were reduced by - 1.0 ± 1.2%, FPG levels by - 24.5 ± 43.4 mg/dl, body weight by - 5.3 ± 6.4 kg, systolic blood pressure by - 6.5 ± 18.5 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure by - 3.6 ± 11.8 mmHg, and total cholesterol by - 16.9 ± 37.4 mg/dl. The proportion of patients achieving HbA1c levels  of < 7% increased from 12.7% to 39.8% (p = 0.02). Based on the UKPDS scores, statistically significant reductions in the 5- and 10-year risk of nonfatal CHD and fatal CHD were found, with no change in the 5- and 10-year risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke.

CONCLUSION: In patients prolonging treatment with liraglutide for 5 years, the benefits in relation to metabolic control and CV risk factors are maintained. The UKPDS risk scores suggest that liraglutide is associated with a reduced CHD risk, but not with a reduced stroke risk.