Liraglutide and DPP-4 inhibitors – side effects comparative clinical study

The objective of this study was to monitor the side effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide in comparison to those of DPP-4 inhibitors (sitagliptin and vildagliptin), in order to determine their safety, tolerability and therapeutic efficiency. The study was carried out in the “Heart and Diabetes Center NRW” and included overweight patients with type 2 diabetes whose therapeutic regimen was switched to liraglutide or DPP-4 inhibitors. A validated questionnaire method was used to monitor the side effects during the hospitalization period, then again at 3, and 6 months after the beginning of the therapy. The therapy with liraglutide was associated with more side effects than the one with DPP-4 inhibitors. In general, side effects were declining with time, thus only few patients stopped therapy. The incretin therapy turned out to be a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.