Semaglutide injection for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Current estimates suggest that approximately 10% of the global adult population have type 2 diabetes. In recent years there has been a significant increase in the therapeutic options available for its treatment. This article examines the use of injectable semaglutide in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. AREAS COVERED: We will describe the global problem posed by type 2 diabetes followed by consideration of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist class of glucose lowering therapies. The focus is then shifted to semaglutide and a description of the large phase 3 pre-approval trial programme known as SUSTAIN. There is consideration of glucose control, the primary end-point of the phase 3 programme, as well as secondary end-points such as weight and blood pressure. There follows a précis of the cardiovascular outcomes trial for subcutaneous semaglutide (SUSTAIN 6) and the post-approval publications. As well as the SUSTAIN trial programme we used PubMed to identify relevant publications. EXPERT OPINION: This section discusses the position of semaglutide and the risks and benefits versus other once weekly GLP-1RAs and finally the development of an oral version of semaglutide, which has recently been approved in the United States.

Comparative Effectiveness of Long-Acting GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Type 2 Diabetes: A Short Review on the Emerging Data.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been available as glucose-lowering therapies for people with type 2 diabetes since 2006, when twice-daily exenatide was licenced. Since then, advances in peptide chemistry and delivery have allowed for once-daily and more recently once-weekly (QW) delivery of peptides in this class and there are currently three QW "long-acting" GLP-1 receptor agonists available in clinical practice. This short review describes the therapeutic landscape that is occupied by the modern type 2 diabetes glucose-lowering therapies with a particular focus on long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonists. The efficacy and side-effect profiles of the available QW GLP-1 receptor agonists are discussed, focusing on head-to-head clinical trial comparisons. There is also an appraisal of the cardiovascular outcome trials, for which there has been an assessment of each of the QW GLP-1 receptor agonists, leading to clinical conclusions regarding their comparative effectiveness.

Establishing Expert, Multi-Disciplinary, Peer-Reviewed Consensus to Lead a Paradigm Shift in Optimal Blood Glucose Management.

INTRODUCTION: The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK appears unclear on how blood glucose monitoring (BGM) should be used to support diabetes patient care and empowerment, and local interpretation of NICE guidance on the availability of devices varies widely. An expert group of clinicians and commissioners considered BGM in terms of access, guidance, resources, data integration, patient education, and patient choice. METHODS: The group generated a series of questions on BGM into a 38-statement questionnaire using Delphi methodology. This was circulated to clinicians involved in diabetes management across the UK, receiving 222 responses. RESULTS: From the questionnaire, 35 of the 38 statement responses showed > 66% consensus, with 26 of these achieving > 90% agreement. CONCLUSION: The expert group reviewed the responses and made recommendations based on the clear professional consensus demonstrated. These included the need to use new technology and data integration and that wider factors, including patient choice rather than cost alone, should inform formulary inclusion of BGM equipment. FUNDING: LifeScan U.K. Ltd.

How reliable is estimation of glomerular filtration rate at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes?

OBJECTIVE: The Cockcroft-Gault (CG) and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations previously have been recommended to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR). We compared both estimates with true GFR, measured by the isotopic (51)Cr-EDTA method, in newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve subjects with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 292 mainly normoalbuminuric (241 of 292) subjects were recruited. Subjects were classified as having mild renal impairment (group 1, GFR <90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)) or normal renal function (group 2, GFR >/=90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)). Estimated GFR (eGFR) was calculated by the CG and MDRD equations. Blood samples drawn at 44, 120, 180, and 240 min after administration of 1 MBq of (51)Cr-EDTA were used to measure isotopic GFR (iGFR). RESULTS: For subjects in group 1, mean (+/-SD) iGFR was 83.8 +/- 4.3 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). eGFR was 78.0 +/- 16.5 or 73.7 +/- 12.0 ml/min per 1.73 m(2) using CG and MDRD equations, respectively. Ninety-five percent CIs for method bias were -11.1 to -0.6 using CG and -14.4 to -7.0 using MDRD. Ninety-five percent limits of agreement (mean bias +/- 2 SD) were -37.2 to 25.6 and -33.1 to 11.7, respectively. In group 2, iGFR was 119.4 +/- 20.3 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). eGFR was 104.4 +/- 26.3 or 92.3 +/- 18.7 ml/min per 1.73 m(2) using CG and MDRD equations, respectively. Ninety-five percent CIs for method bias were -17.4 to -12.5 using CG and -29.1 to -25.1 using MDRD. Ninety-five percent limits of agreement were -54.4 to 24.4 and -59.5 to 5.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients, particularly those with a GFR >/=90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2), both CG and MDRD equations significantly underestimate iGFR. This highlights a limitation in the use of eGFR in the majority of diabetic subjects outside the setting of chronic kidney disease.