Evaluation of the use of sitagliptin for insulin resistance in burn patients

Kaitlin A Pruskowski; Beth A Shields; Craig R Ainsworth; Leopoldo C Cancio

Evaluation of the use of sitagliptin for insulin resistance in burn patients

Int J Burns Trauma. 2020 Oct 15;10(5):237-245. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Kaitlin A Pruskowski^{1

2}, Beth A Shields¹, Craig R Ainsworth³, Leopoldo C Cancio¹

Affiliations

¹ US Army Institute of Surgical Research 3698 Chambers Pass, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, The United States.
² Uniformed Services University School of The Health Sciences, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, The United States.
³ Methodist Hospital 7700 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, The United States.

PMID: 33224612
PMCID: PMC7675198

Abstract

Background: Following severe burn injury, patients undergo profound metabolic changes, including insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia has been linked to impaired wound healing, increased risk of skin graft loss, increased muscle catabolism, increased infections, and mortality. Sitagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that improves glycemic control by slowing the inactivation of incretin hormones, increasing insulin synthesis and release from pancreatic beta cells and lowering glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha cells. The objective of this study was to describe our institution's experience with using sitagliptin to help mitigate insulin resistance after burn injury.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review that included 22 adult burn patients. Burn patients were prescribed sitagliptin regardless of their previous medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients were included in this analysis if they were adults admitted for burn injury during a 13-month period and received at least 3 consecutive doses of sitagliptin. Patients were excluded if they did not have insulin use data 3 days pre- and 3 days post-sitagliptin initiation. The first day of sitagliptin initiation was considered day 0; data from day 0 were not included in either the pre- or post-sitagliptin analysis.

Results: In the 3 days prior to sitagliptin initiation, patients received a median of 114.3 units per day (IQR 49.1, 228) in an attempt to maintain a blood glucose goal of less than 180 mg/dL. In the 3 days after sitagliptin was started, exogenous insulin requirements significantly decreased to a median to 36.3 units per day (IQR 11.7, 95) (P=0.009). Seven patients were on insulin infusions at the time of sitagliptin initiation. After sitagliptin was started, it took a median of 3 days (IQR 2, 3.25) to be liberated from the insulin infusion. In terms of safety, there were two episodes of hypoglycemia (BG<70 mg/dL) after sitagliptin initiation, compared to three episodes prior to sitagliptin initiation (P=0.7).

Conclusion: The addition of sitagliptin to burn patients' medication regimens significantly reduced insulin requirements over a 3-day period and allowed liberation from insulin drips.

Keywords: Insulin resistance; hyperglycemia; sitagliptin.