A new study has recently compared the effectiveness of four common medications for type 2 diabetes. This study is known as the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness (GRADE) Study.
This study was recently published as 10 articles in Diabetes Care. In this study, researchers involved over 5,000 participants. This study was conducted from 2013 to 2021. They wanted to compare the effectiveness of four medications that are used to treat type 2 diabetes. The medications compared were insulin glargine, glimepiride, liraglutide and sitagliptin.
When researchers observed the collected data, they found that liraglutide and insulin glargine were more effective in achieving and maintaining target blood glucose levels than the other two medications.
This study provides more understanding about the differences between the medications. In this study, researchers also considered the cost of the medications because it is an important factor in determining which is the best treatment option.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disorder that affects more than 38 million people in the U.S. Maintaining glycemic control is very important as it reduces the risk of some complications such as heart disease or kidney disease. But sometimes it can be difficult due to beta cell dysfunction that produces insulin.
The majority of patients eventually need a second-level therapy treatment in addition to metformin. It is the initial medication prescribed. Prior to the GRADE study, there was a lack of head-to-head studies comparing the available medications to determine their efficacy and impact on glycemic control. The GRADE study aimed to fill this gap in knowledge.
The study also looked at the long-term effects of the medications on insulin sensitivity and beta cell function. Beta cell function progressively decreases over time, leading to a worsening of blood glucose control. The researchers found that liraglutide showed significant improvement in beta cell function in the first year but declined more rapidly compared to the other medications. None of the medications were able to stop the loss of beta cell function. It shows that there is a need for better treatments that preserve beta cell function and maintain blood glucose control in the long run.
Researchers of this study found that there is no medication that is effective for everyone with type 2 diabetes. The best option depends on the individual patient.
The findings of the GRADE study provide some valuable information to healthcare providers about the different impacts each medication may have. Insulin glargine was found to be a safe and effective second-line therapy. On the other hand, liraglutide has a beneficial effect on glycemic control and weight loss. But the cost of liraglutide and other GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a barrier for many patients.
The researchers are now planning to continue exploring the data from the study and focus on finding interventions that can preserve beta cell function in the long term.
