Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin and sulfonylurea.
Research design and methods: Patients with HbA1c of 7.0% (53 mmol/mol) to 10.5% (91 mmol/mol) receiving sulfonylurea and metformin were randomized to receive dapagliflozin 10 mg/day (n = 109) or placebo (n = 109) for 24 weeks.
Results: HbA1c (baseline: dapagliflozin 8.08% [65 mmol/mol]; placebo 8.24% [67 mmol/mol]) and fasting plasma glucose (baseline: dapagliflozin 167.4 mg/dL [9.29 mmol/L]; placebo 180.5 mg/dL [10.02 mmol/L]) significantly improved from baseline with dapagliflozin (placebo-subtracted change -0.69% [-7.5 mmol/mol], P < 0.0001; -33.5 mg/dL [-1.86 mmol/L], P < 0.0001, respectively). More patients achieved a therapeutic glycemic response (HbA1c <7.0% [53 mmol/mol]) with dapagliflozin (31.8%) versus placebo (11.1%) (P < 0.0001). Body weight and systolic blood pressure were significantly reduced from baseline over 24 and 8 weeks, respectively, with dapagliflozin (placebo-subtracted change -2.1 kg, P < 0.0001; -3.8 mmHg, P = 0.0250). Patients receiving dapagliflozin showed placebo-subtracted increases in total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol (11.4 mg/dL, P = 0.0091; 11.4 mg/dL, P = 0.0030; 2.2 mg/dL, P = 0.0172, respectively) with no change in LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio (0.1; P = 0.2008) or triglycerides (-16.5 mg/dL; P = 0.1755). Adverse events occurred in 48.6% of patients receiving dapagliflozin and 51.4% receiving placebo. Significantly more patients with dapagliflozin compared with placebo experienced hypoglycemia (12.8 vs. 3.7%; P = 0.024) and genital infections (5.5 vs. 0%; P = 0.029). Events of urinary tract infection were reported by 6.4% of patients in both groups.
Conclusions: Dapagliflozin was well tolerated and effective over 24 weeks as add-on to metformin plus sulfonylurea. Adverse effects included hypoglycemia and genital infections.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01392677.
© 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.