Treatment persistence in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists in clinical practice in Sweden

AIM: To compare treatment persistence in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) dulaglutide, exenatide once‐weekly (QW), liraglutide or lixisenatide in routine clinical practice in Sweden and assess clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study using data from several nationwide Swedish health registries, including the National Diabetes Register and other mandatory and population‐based registries. Individual level data were collected from 17 361 patients who initiated GLP‐1 RA treatment from 23 May 2015 to 15 October 2017, up to 2.5 years postindex (treatment start date). Treatment persistence and modification, predictors of discontinuation, HbA1c and body weight were recorded. Non‐persistence was defined as a treatment gap of more than 45 days. Treatment modification included switching and augmentation. Confounding was addressed through the use of propensity scores. RESULTS: Treatment persistence was higher and treatment modifications were lower in patients initiating dulaglutide compared with those on exenatide QW, liraglutide and lixisenatide. Patients who remained on the same treatment for 1‐year postindex experienced greater HbA1c reductions and a steadier decrease in body weight. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that in clinical practice in Sweden there is a greater persistence of treatment among patients initiating dulaglutide compared with those on exenatide QW, liraglutide and lixisenatide. Persistence with the index GLP‐1 RA was closely correlated with positive clinical outcomes and thus should be considered a critical factor of patient‐centric treatment in Sweden.