NO excess risk of adverse outcomes with linagliptin used for older people

In a recently published subset analysis of the CARMELINA study, researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of the dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor linagliptin in older participants. The original study assessed adults with type II diabetes and established CVD, who also had proteinurua and/or kidney disease, who were randomized to receive linagliptin or placebo added to usual care. The endpoints (cardiovascular death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction or non‐fatal stroke) and other outcomes were evaluated across age groups <65 (n = 2968), 65 to <75 (n = 2800) and ≥75 years (n = 1211). In the subset analysis of older subjects. The hazard ratio (HR) for the primary outcome associated with linagliptin compared to placebo was 1.02 [95% CI 0.89 – 1.17] with no significant interaction between age and treatment effect (P = 0.0937). Linagliptin did not increase the risk of adverse kidney outcomes or hospitalization for heart failure across age groups. The incidence of adverse events, including hypoglycaemia, increased with age but was similar with linagliptin, event though glycated haemoglobin A1c was reduced with linagliptin. Read the full details of the study here.