In the News
Liraglutide may offer high-risk patients protection from CV events, death, study finds
The Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results (LEADER) trial, which was funded by Novo Nordisk and the National Institutes of Health, randomized 9,340 patients ages 50 years and older to 1.8 mg of liraglutide per day via injection or placebo in addition to standard care.
Thiazolidinedione add-ons associated with less CV risk, study finds
The U.K.-based retrospective cohort study used a database that linked national hospitalization and mortality data for people who were prescribed second-line regimens after metformin.
Socioeconomic status appears linked to mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes
The study looked at data from the Sweden National Diabetes Register to determine what patient characteristics were related to all-cause mortality or death from cardiovascular-, diabetes-, or cancer-related causes.
MKSAP quiz: Inpatient glycemic control
This month's quiz asked readers to determine optimal glycemic control for a man with type 2 diabetes who is admitted to the hospital for evaluation of substernal chest pain.
Pioglitazone improved NASH markers in patients with type 2 or prediabetes and NASH
One hundred one patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were prescribed a hypocaloric diet and randomized to 45 mg of pioglitazone per day or placebo for 18 months. After 18 months, pioglitazone was prescribed open label to all patients without histologic resolution of NASH.
Review: In diabetes, benefits of lowering BP depend on baseline BP being 140 mm Hg or more
Hypertension treatment reduced mortality and myocardial infarction in diabetic patients with a systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mm Hg, a systematic review and meta-analysis found. However, in patients with lower baseline blood pressure (BP), treatment didn't affect overall mortality and was associated with increased cardiovascular mortality.
New insulins present benefits, challenges
The July/August ACP Internist summarizes expert advice on treating diabetes with new types of insulin.
Spotlight on renal side effects
Renal side effects of diabetes drugs were in the news in the past month, with one industry-funded study finding an association between empagliflozin and slower progression of kidney disease and the FDA strengthening an existing warning on risk of acute kidney injury with canagliflozin and dapagliflozin.