title: Discrepancies among consensus documents, guidelines, clinical practice and the legal framework for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.
abstract: In this paper we analyse the discrepancies that exist in the widespread prescription of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes and the lack of guidelines concerning its prescription in the different stages of renal failure. This cross-sectional study includes 304 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with oral antidiabetic drugs (ADOs) and a glomerular filtration rate (estimated GFR) &lt;60ml/min/1.73m2. Patients were attended in consecutive visits to primary health centres or in hospital departments of endocrinology or nephrology during 2010. We studied the frequency of metformin and other ADO prescriptions according to renal function and the department in which the patient was treated. The ADO most frequently prescribed was metformin (54.9%), followed by repaglinide (47.7%), DPP4 inhibitors (28.6%), and sulfonylureas (18.4%). However, in nephrology departments, repaglinide was more frequently prescribed than metformin (P&lt;.001), whereas in primary health centres, the prescription of DPP4 inhibitors increased. In patients with an estimated GFR of 15-29ml/min/1.73m2, metformin (13.3%) and sulfonylureas were the least prescribed, whereas metformin was much more frequently prescribed (70.0%) when estimated GFR was 45-59ml/min/1.73m2 (P&lt;.001). In contrast, patients with an estimated GFR of 15-29ml/min/1.73m2 were mainly prescribed repaglinide (76.7%), as opposed to patients with an estimated GFR of 45-59ml/min/1.73m2 (38.9%) (P&lt;.001). Substantial evidence suggests that the recommendations for the use of ADO should be modified. This would lead to safely prescribing ADO in patients with an estimated GFR&lt;60ml/min/1.73m2, and more importantly in medical practice, according to the law.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Virgen de los Lirios, Alcoy, Alicante, Spain. delpozo_car@gva.es
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: del Pozo-Fernández
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pardo-Ruiz
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Botella
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blanes-Castañer
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López-Menchero
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gisbert-Sellés
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Jodar
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Avellán
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D002219:Carbamates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003245:Consensus Statements as Topic; D000075202:Contraindications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019468:Disease Management; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004704:Endocrinology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009398:Nephrology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013030:Spain; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002219:Carbamates; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; C072379:repaglinide; D008687:Metformin