Prescription of DPP-4 Inhibitors to Patients With Adult Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Creatinine Clearance >50 mL/min: The UK Primary Care Experience

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) initiating a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, who had no recorded objective evidence to justify dose adjustment, were initiated on the manufacturer-specified dose. Adopting a cross-sectional study design and using data from the UK General Practice, this study showed that at least 10% of patients with T2DM and a creatinine clearance level >50 mL/min initiating treatment with a DPP-4 inhibitor were prescribed a dose lower than specified in the Summary of Product Characteristics. This study provides further insights regarding DPP-4 inhibitor dose selection with respect to manufacturer specification in relation to renal function.

Keywords: DPP-4 inhibitors; dose selection; general practice; renal function; type 2 diabetes mellitus.