By Colin Kenny, GP, Dromore
This study was a multi-centred, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled people with type 2 diabetes who were aged 50 or over and had at least one coexisting cardiovascular condition or were aged 60 years or more and had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. In all, 9340 participants underwent randomisation – 4668 to receive liraglutide and 4672 to receive placebo. The median follow-up was 3.8 years in each group, with a median daily liraglutide dose of 1.78 mg being given in the active comparator group.
The investigators found significant differences between the liraglutide group and the placebo group. The rate of the composite outcome of first occurrence of death from cardiovascular causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke was lower with liraglutide than with placebo (hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.97; P=0.01]). Death from cardiovascular causes also occurred in fewer patients in the liraglutide group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.78 [95% confidence interval, 0.66–0.93; P=0.007]). Similarly, the incidence of a composite outcome of renal or retinal microvascular events was lower in the liraglutide group (hazard ratio, 0.84 [95% confidence interval, 0.73–0.97; P=0.02]). Finally, weight loss was 2.3 kg greater in the liraglutide group, while systolic and diastolic blood pressure were, respectively, 1.2 mmHg and 0.6 mmHg lower in the active comparator group.
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