Dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor and insulin combination treatment in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: A meta‐analysis

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The union of dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors and insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease provides satisfactory glucose management without increasing adverse events (AEs). This research appraised the therapeutic effect and safety of combination therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials to analyze AEs, hypoglycemia, serious AEs, severe hypoglycemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate, fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin dose, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, uric acid and weight between combination treatment groups and control groups by searching the Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), PubMed and Web of Science databanks until October 2020. RESULTS: Five studies (6 trials, 1,278 participants) met the inclusion criteria. The evidence quality ranged from moderate to high. Glycated hemoglobin (standardized mean difference −0.29, 95% confidence interval −0.44 to −0.14) and insulin dose (standardized mean difference −0.16, 95% confidence interval −0.29 to −0.02) were obviously smaller in the combination cure patients than in the control patients. Compared with the control groups, combination treatment did not increase AEs, hypoglycemia, serious AEs or severe hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the effectiveness and safety of dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors bonded with insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, but the protective actions of this cure on kidney and cardiovascular outcomes, as well as the functions of other dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors, need to be affirmed by more good‐quality randomized controlled trials.