Patient-reported outcomes in a survey of patients treated with oral antihyperglycaemic medications: associations with hypoglycaemia and weight gain.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between medication side-effects (SEs) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among patients with type 2 diabetes treated with oral antihyperglycaemic agents (OAHAs).


METHODS
A total of 1984 participants responded to an internet-based survey in the United States. Data were collected on hypoglycaemia 6 months and weight gain 12 months prior to the survey. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). Also administered were the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication v.1.4 (TSQM) and the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey II (HFS).


RESULTS
Symptoms of hypoglycaemia were reported by 62.9% of participants, and 36.9% reported weight gain. For those reporting hypoglycaemia, mean scores were lower for TSQM and EQ-5D and higher for HFS when compared with those with no symptoms (TSQM: 69.7 vs. 75.1; EQ-5D: 0.78 vs. 0.86; HFS: 17.5 vs. 6.2; all p < 0.0001). The same remained true when accounting for symptom severity, where severity was monotonically related with PRO scores (all p < 0.0001). Similarly, reported weight gain was associated with lower treatment satisfaction (69.0 vs. 73.3) and HRQoL (0.77 vs. 0.83), and increased fear of hypoglycaemia (15.7 vs. 11.8) (all p < 0.0001). In mixed linear regression analysis, the associations between medication SEs and PROs remained significant after adjusting for patient and disease characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Among patients with type 2 diabetes treated with OAHAs, self-reported hypoglycaemia and weight gain were associated with decreased treatment satisfaction and HRQoL. In addition, the presence of these SEs was associated with increased fear of hypoglycaemia.
Marrett
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E
Global Outcomes Research, Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889, USA. elizabeth_marrett@merck.com
Stargardt
T
T
Mavros
P
P
Alexander
C M
CM
D000284:Administration, Oral; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D015430:Weight Gain
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents