Real-World Effectiveness of Sitagliptin as Add-On Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of sitagliptin in glycemic control in a clinical practice. Methods: This was a retrospective medical chart review study conducted in a single hospital. A total of 3081 patients with diabetes mellitus who were prescribed sitagliptin were selected, including 2729 continuous sitagliptin users (defined as continuous usage >= 24 weeks) and 352 subjects who used sitagliptin for < 24 weeks. An additional 12-month observation period was monitored after initiating sitagliptin to extract clinical information at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months through patient medical chart review. Results: In the 2729 continuous users, a baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) level of 9.0% was reduced to 8.1%, 8.1%, 8.1%, and 8.2% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively, representing a 0.9% HbA(1c) level reduction at 3, 6, and 9 months and a 0.8% HbA(1c) level reduction at 12 months. With a goal of HbA(1c) value of < 7.0%, 9.1% of the patients were under control at baseline; after initiating sitagliptin, 22.7% of the patients achieved the HbA(1c) level goal at 3 months, 23.6% at 6 months, 20.8% at 9 months, and 20.4% at 12 months. The proportion of patients attaining the goal of HbA(1c) level < 7.0% at least doubled at different time points after treatment with sitagliptin. Conclusions: In this single-hospital retrospective chart analysis, a meaningful clinical improvement in glycemic control before and after sitagliptin treatment commenced, including HbA(1c) level reduction and the HbA(1c) goal attainment rate, was observed. The results reflect the actual clinical practice in a large hospital in Taiwan, and supplement data from randomized controlled trials.