Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>
Aims To describe dispensation patterns of glucose-lowering drugs in newly
diagnosed type 2 diabetes in Germany.</jats:p><jats:p>
Materials and methods Based on claims data from four statutory health
insurances (German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database,>25 million
insurants), all individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were
identified. Eligible patients had a first diagnosis for type 2 diabetes between
January 2012 and December 2016. We analyzed the dispensation patterns of
first-line glucose-lowering therapies initiated in the year after diabetes
diagnosis and patterns of second-line therapies dispensed one year after
first-line treatment.</jats:p><jats:p>
Results A total of 356,647 individuals with newly diagnosed type 2
diabetes were included (average age [SD]: 63.5 [13.4] years; 49.3%
males). Of the 31.6% of individuals who were pharmacologically treated
in the year after diagnosis, metformin monotherapy was most frequently dispensed
(73.1%), followed by dual therapy of metformin and dipeptidyl
peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) (6.4%), and monotherapy with DPP-4is
(2.9%). From 2012 through 2016, sulfonylurea dispensations were reduced
by more than 50%. Dispensations for combination therapies with DPP-4is
increased up to 10.6%. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and
sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors contributed to 2% of all
treatments. After a median of 5 months, 20.0% of individuals on
pharmacological therapy initiated second-line glucose-lowering treatment.</jats:p><jats:p>
Conclusions Data from German statutory health insurances (2012 to 2016)
showed that most individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were dispensed
metformin monotherapy in line with diabetes care guidelines. A substantial
decrease in the use of sulfonylureas was observed after the introduction of
DPP-4i and GLP-1 receptor agonists.</jats:p>