Prescribing Trends of Antidiabetes Medications in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetic Kidney Disease, a Cohort Study
Methods: A cohort study design using insurance claims data between 2013 and the first quarter (Q1) of 2020. Included are adult patients with DKD who initiated a new anti-diabetes medication between 2013 and 2020Q1 (N=160,489 patients). The primary outcome is the yearly and quarterly percent of medication initiation for each anti-diabetes medication class over all anti-diabetes medication initiations.
Research Design and Results: For patients with DKD, sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide 1-receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) initiations steadily increased between 2013 and 2020Q1. Internists and endocrinologists were the most frequent prescriber specialties. Patients less than 65 years of age had a larger percentage of all initiations that were SGLT2i or GLP-1RA, 16% and 23% respectively in 2019, and patients older than 75 years had a smaller percentage of all initiations that were SGLT2i or GLP-1RA, 11% and 13% respectively in 2019.
Conclusions: For patients with DKD, SGLT2i and GLP-1RA prescriptions have increased over time, likely reflecting evolving prescribing patterns in response to the results of recent clinical trials and new clinical guidelines.
