title: Systematic reviews to ascertain the safety of diabetes medications.
abstract: Clinicians and patients with type 2 diabetes enjoy an expanding list of medications to improve glycemic control. With this expansion has come a flurry of concerns about the safety of these antihyperglycemic agents, concerns that affect judgments about the risk/benefit balance of therapy. Some of these safety signals have been identified through the synthesis of existing research evidence. Thus, it has become important for clinicians and clinical policymakers to understand the strengths and limitations of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in determining the safety of diabetes medications. In this paper, we highlight key safety concerns with diabetes medications and discuss the role evidence synthesis plays in each, with special attention to its strengths and limitations.
authors.affiliation: Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gionfriddo
authors.forename: Oscar L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Morey-Vargas
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Aaron L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leppin
authors.forename: M Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Murad
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Montori
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000139:chemically induced; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000139:chemically induced; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects*; D005998:Glycine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008687:Metformin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D005998:Glycine; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin; D010080:Oxazoles; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human; C500085:muraglitazar