This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of pancreatitis in a pooled population of type 2 diabetes trials from the clinical development program of the GLP-1RA exenatide as well as to describe patient-level data for all reported cases.
Measurement of serum amylase consistently might have clinical meaning to catch the onset of pancreatitis and minimize the side effects due to DPP4is and GLP-1 analogs.
The incidence of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer with GLP1-RA was not significantly different from that observed in comparator arms (MH-OR [95% CI] 0.93 [0.65-1.34], P = .71, and 0.94 [0.52-1.70], P = .84, respectively), whereas, a significantly increased risk of cholelithiasis (MH-OR [95% CI] 1.30 [1.01-1.68], P = .041) was detected.
The risk of hypoglycemia with GLP-1RAs is minimal; however, GLP-1RAs are associated with gastrointestinal adverse events and raise concerns regarding pancreatitis.