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Incretin-based therapies and acute pancreatitis risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

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Abstract

Concerns raised by several animal studies, case reports, and pharmacovigilance warnings over incretin-based therapy potentially exposing type two diabetes patients to an elevated risk of pancreatitis have cast a shadow on the overall safety of this class of drugs. This systematic review evaluates the data from observational studies that compared treatment with or without incretins and the risk of pancreatitis. We searched PubMed for publications with the key terms incretins or GLP-1 receptor agonists or DPP-4 inhibitors or sitagliptin or vildagliptin or saxagliptin or linagliptin or alogliptin or exenatide or liraglutide AND pancreatitis in the title or abstract. Studies were evaluated against the following criteria: design (either cohort or case–control); outcome definition (incidence of pancreatitis); exposure definition (new or current or past incretins users); and comparison between patients receiving incretins or not for type 2 diabetes. Two authors independently selected the studies and extracted the data. Six studies meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. No difference was found in the overall risk of pancreatitis between incretin users and non-users (odds ratio 1.08; 95 % CI [0.84–1.40]). A risk increase lower than 35 % cannot be excluded according to the power calculation. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that type 2 diabetes patients receiving incretin-based therapy are not exposed to an elevated risk of pancreatitis. Limitations of this analysis are the low prevalence of incretin users and the lack of a clear distinction by the studies between therapy with DPP-4 inhibitors or with GLP-1 receptor agonists.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Chaira Medica Association (non-profit organization for the study of endocrine and metabolic disorders), Chieri, Italy; EN is employed with the Association.

Conflict of interest

CBG discloses teaching and speaking fees from Merck, Novo Nordisk, BMS/AZ Alliance, and BI/Lilly Alliance. All the other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolism and Diabetes Unit, ASL TO5, Regione Piemonte, Chieri, Italy

    Carlo B. Giorda & Lisa Marafetti

  2. Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Carlotta Sacerdote

  3. Chaira Medica Association, Chieri, Italy

    Elisa Nada

  4. Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Ileana Baldi

  5. Epidemiology Unit, ASL TO3, Regione Piemonte, Grugliasco, Italy

    Roberto Gnavi

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  1. Carlo B. Giorda
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  4. Lisa Marafetti
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  5. Ileana Baldi
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  6. Roberto Gnavi
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Correspondence to Carlo B. Giorda.

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Giorda, C.B., Sacerdote, C., Nada, E. et al. Incretin-based therapies and acute pancreatitis risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Endocrine 48, 461–471 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-014-0386-8

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