Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are a newly developed class of oral anti-diabetic drugs with a unique mechanism of action and its use is becoming more widespread. Given that dapagliflozin was the first drug of this class used in Spain, available since December 2013, 3 years after its inception, we aimed to investigate whether there have been differences in prescription patterns of SGLT2i (using dapagliflozin as reference) in a Sanitary district from Spain over time.

Methods/design: Using electronic medical records, data of patients with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed dapagliflozin 10 mg/day, were collected at two periods of time: i) between January to June 2013 (consecutive first prescriptions of dapagliflozin in our area) and ii) between June to December 2016 (last prescriptions). Epidemiologic, clinical and metabolic data as well as antidiabetic drugs received were compared between the two periods.

Results: A total of 36 prescriptions of dapagliflozin made in the first period were compared to 32 prescriptions in the second period. Patients in the second period had significantly (P<0.05) higher duration of diabetes (13.6±7.4 vs 10±9 years), lower A1C (%; 8.6%±1.3% vs 9.1%±1.1%) and a lower rate of microvascular (37.5% vs 78%) and macrovascular complications (18.7% vs 33.3%). Also, there has been an increased used as second line treatment (21.9% vs 5.5%; P<0.001) as well as combined to basal insulin (62.5% vs 12.5%; P<0.001).

Conclusions: Patterns of prescriptions of SGLT2i have changed over the last 3 years in our area. Its use as a second line treatment and combined with basal insulin has increased. Also, patients who are prescribed this class of antidiabetic drug have a better diabetes profile and a lower rate of complications although a higher duration of diabetes.