Exenatide once weekly improved 24‐hour glucose control and reduced glycaemic variability in metformin‐treated participants with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, placebo‐controlled trial

AIM: To assess the effects of once‐weekly exenatide on 24‐hour glucose control and variability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial randomized metformin‐treated adults with type 2 diabetes to once‐weekly exenatide 2.0 mg or placebo. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed at baseline and weeks 4 and 10. The primary outcome was change in CGM‐measured 24‐hour mean glucose level. RESULTS: In the once‐weekly exenatide (n = 60) and placebo (n = 56) groups (modified intention‐to‐treat population), the baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations were 8.2% and 8.0%, respectively, and the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration was 9.86 and 9.32 mmol/L, respectively. Once‐weekly exenatide significantly (p < 0.001) reduced 24‐hour mean glucose level versus placebo (week 4, −1.44 vs −0.29 mmol/L; week 10, −1.71 vs −0.17 mmol/L), with consistent control throughout the week. Once‐weekly exenatide significantly reduced FPG and 2‐hour postprandial glucose (PPG) levels versus placebo at week 4 (FPG, −1.65 vs −0.11 mmol/L; PPG, −1.79 vs −0.11 mmol/L) and week 10 (FPG, −2.32 vs −0.28 mmol/L; PPG, −2.46 vs −0.33 mmol/L). At week 10, once‐weekly exenatide reduced the mean amplitude of glucose excursions (MAGE; −0.84 vs 0.16 mmol/L) and standard deviation (s.d.) of mean glucose (−0.35 vs 0.04 mmol/L). By week 10, once‐weekly exenatide‐treated participants spent more time in euglycaemia (once‐weekly exenatide, 77% vs placebo, 58%), less time in hyperglycaemia (22% vs 42%), and a similar time in hypoglycaemia (0.7% vs 0.3%). Common adverse events were injection‐site nodule (once‐weekly exenatide, 10.0% vs placebo, 0.0%), urinary tract infection (6.7% vs 8.9%) and nausea (6.7% vs 0.0%). CONCLUSIONS: In metformin‐treated participants with type 2 diabetes, once‐weekly exenatide significantly improved daily glucose control and reduced glycaemic variability at weeks 4 and 10, as shown by reductions in 24‐hour glucose, FPG and PPG levels, MAGE and s.d., and increased time spent in euglycaemia.