Table 1.
Patient demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline, and pharmacological treatments prior to GLP-1 RA initiation
| Characteristics | All GLP-1 RAs n = 1402 |
Dulaglutide n = 492 |
Exenatide-QW n = 438 |
Liraglutide n = 472 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 62 (11) | 63 (11) | 63 (11) | 62 (11) |
| Age ranges (years), n (%) | ||||
| 18–44 | 93 (6.6) | 31 (6.3) | 23 (5.3) | 39 (8.3) |
| 45–64 | 695 (49.6) | 245 (49.8) | 218 (49.8) | 232 (49.1) |
| 65–74 | 466 (33.2) | 165 (33.5) | 153 (34.9) | 148 (31.4) |
| ≥ 75 | 148 (10.5) | 51 (10.4) | 44 (10.0) | 53 (11.3) |
| Sex (male), n (%) | 740 (52.8) | 254 (51.6) | 234 (53.4) | 252 (53.4) |
| Time since diagnosis (years), mean (SD) | 9.4 (2.6) | 9.6 (2.5) | 9.3 (2.7) | 9.2 (2.8) |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD) | 35.5 (3.2) | 35.4 (3.2) | 35.8 (3.4) | 35.5 (3.1) |
| HbA1c (%), mean (SD) | 8.1 (1.2) | 8.1 (1.2) | 8.1 (1.2) | 8.1 (1.4) |
| SBP (mmHg), mean (SD) | 128.4 (12.2) | 128.2 (12.1) | 127.8 (12.5) | 129.3 (12.1) |
| DBP (mmHg), mean (SD) | 81.7 (9.1) | 81.4 (9.3) | 82.0 (9.2) | 81.9 (8.7) |
| Charlson index, mean (SD) | 1.2 (1.2) | 1.2 (1.3) | 1.2 (1.2) | 1.2 (1.2) |
| Number of comorbiditiesa, mean (SD) | 2.4 (1.5) | 2.4 (1.5) | 2.2 (1.5) | 2.4 (1.5) |
| Associated risk factors and comorbidities, n (%) | ||||
| Active smokers | 105 (7.5) | 38 (7.7) | 32 (7.3) | 35 (7.4) |
| Arterial hypertension | 669 (47.7) | 231 (47.0) | 208 (47.5) | 230 (48.7) |
| Dyslipidaemia | 707 (50.4) | 244 (49.6) | 227 (51.8) | 236 (50.0) |
| Heart failure | 130 (9.3) | 48 (9.8) | 41 (9.4) | 41 (8.7) |
| Obesity | 559 (39.9) | 201 (40.9) | 170 (38.8) | 188 (39.8) |
| Renal impairment | 76 (5.4) | 28 (5.7) | 20 (4.6) | 28 (5.9) |
| Diabetes complications, n (%) | ||||
| Macrovascular diseaseb | 305 (21.8) | 108 (22.0) | 94 (21.5) | 103 (21.8) |
| Microvascular diseasec | 536 (38.2) | 190 (38.6) | 161 (36.8) | 185 (39.2) |
| Antidiabetic medication, n (%)d | ||||
| Number of drugs, mean (SD) | 2.3 (0.9) | 2.2 (0.9) | 2.3 (0.9) | 2.4 (0.9) |
| Metformin (biguanide) | 1186 (84.6) | 392 (79.7) | 375 (85.6) | 419 (88.8) |
| Sulfonylureas | 328 (23.4) | 105 (21.3) | 109 (24.9) | 114 (24.2) |
| AGI | 8 (0.6) | 4 (0.8) | 3 (0.7) | 1 (0.2) |
| Glitazone | 18 (1.3) | 6 (1.2) | 6 (1.4) | 6 (1.3) |
| Glinide | 104 (7.4) | 38 (7.7) | 29 (6.6) | 37 (7.8) |
| DPP4 inhibitors | 696 (49.6) | 227 (46.1) | 223 (50.9) | 246 (52.1) |
| SGLT2 inhibitors | 297 (21.2) | 97 (19.7) | 95 (21.7) | 105 (22.2) |
| Insulins and analogues | 524 (37.4) | 181 (36.8) | 151 (34.5) | 192 (40.7) |
| Other OAD | 61 (4.4) | 31 (6.3) | 15 (3.4) | 15 (3.2) |
| Other medication, n (%)d | ||||
| Number of drugs, mean (SD) | 1.9 (1.5) | 2.0 (1.5) | 1.8 (1.4) | 2.0 (1.6) |
| Antihypertensives | 72 (5.1) | 26 (5.3) | 20 (4.6) | 26 (5.5) |
| Diuretics | 290 (20.7) | 106 (21.5) | 87 (19.9) | 97 (20.6) |
| Beta-blockers | 341 (24.3) | 121 (24.6) | 100 (22.8) | 120 (25.4) |
| ACE inhibitors | 342 (24.4) | 119 (24.2) | 112 (25.6) | 111 (23.5) |
| ARBs | 274 (19.5) | 91 (18.5) | 83 (18.9) | 100 (21.2) |
| Antiplatelet agents | 543 (38.7) | 205 (41.7) | 150 (34.2) | 188 (39.8) |
| Lipid-lowering drugs | 805 (57.4) | 263 (53.5) | 255 (58.2) | 287 (60.8) |
ACE angiotensin-converting enzyme, AGI alpha glucosidase inhibitors, ARBs angiotensin II receptor blockers, BMI body mass index, DBP diastolic blood pressure, DPP4 dipeptidyl peptidase 4, GLP-1 RAs glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, HbA1c glycated haemoglobin, OAD oral antidiabetics, QW once weekly, SBP systolic blood pressure, SD standard deviation, SGLT2 sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2
aNumber of diagnoses calculated for chronic comorbidities considered in the study
bIncludes ischaemic cardiopathy, stroke, transitory ischaemic accident and peripheral arteriopathy
cIncludes diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic neuropathy
dMedication prescribed in the 6-month pre-index period