We present the results of an independent, drug company-unsupported follow-up of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor sitagliptin. 29 patients (16 men, 13 women) used sitagliptin 100 mg daily for one year as an add-on to their chronic antidiabetic therapy. 16 type diabetic patients formed a control group - they used their chronic antidiabetic therapy without sitagliptin. 10 additional patients (6 men and 4 women) were enrolled in the study and treated with sitagliptin for one month. Body weight, BMI, glycaemia, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterolemia, triacylglycerolemia and serum amylases were determined and abdominal ultrasonography was performed. Because significant changes in immunological tests had been found especially after one month of treatment, 10 additional patients (6 men and 4 women) were enrolled in the study and treated with sitagliptin for one month. Sitagliptin treatment led to a significant body weight loss of 1 kg per year. In the control group, no significant change was observed. Similar results were noticed in HbA1c level and fasting glycaemia - mild but statisticaly significant reduction in the sitagliptin group both after one month and one year (not in HbA1c), no difference in the control group. There was no change in cholesterolemia, or in triacylglycerolemia. In 33% of patients in the sitagliptin group, the level of liver steatosis decreased by ultrasonographic evaluation. This was not found in any of the patients case in the control group. The serum amylase levels increased slightly over the upper limit in two sitagliptin treated patients. In the other sitagliptin treated patients serum amylase remained within the laboratory limits, but slight, statistically significant elevation of serum amylases was observed in the intervened group. This result was not found in the control group. There were not differences in the frequency between occurence of mild respiratory infections in the sitagliptin and control group. Marginally significant decrease was observed in the intervened group.
Key words: sitagliptin - type 2 diabetes mellitus - side effects.