title: Adverse drug reactions associated with the use of liraglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes--focus on pancreatitis and pancreas cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, liraglutide , is a widely used drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Liraglutide is one of several incretin-based agents that have been suggested to be associated with pancreatitis and pancreas cancer. The suspicion accelerated after publication of an autopsy study claiming increased incidences of several pathological changes in pancreata from patients with diabetes treated with incretin-based drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of the present review is to give an overview of the pharmacology of liraglutide and provide a review of adverse reactions associated with liraglutide with a focus on the risk of pancreatitis and pancreas cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When comprehensively reviewing the available literature, no clear and significant associations between liraglutide and pancreatitis and/or pancreas cancer seem evident. However, a recently published analysis suggests a trend toward a slightly elevated risk of pancreatitis with GLP-1 receptor agonists (including liraglutide), which may become statistical significant as more data become available. Well-established side effects are of gastrointestinal origin, typical mild-to-moderate and of transient character. The risk of hypoglycemia associated with liraglutide treatment is low.
authors.affiliation: Center for Diabetes Research, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen , Hellerup , Denmark.
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chalmer
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Almdal
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vilsbøll
authors.forename: Filip K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Knop
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069450:Liraglutide; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000819:agonists
chemical_list: C000593833:GLP1R protein, human; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon; D000069450:Liraglutide; D052216:Glucagon-Like Peptide 1
keywords: adverse reactions; cancer; glucagon-like peptide-1; liraglutide; pancreas; pancreatitis; type 2 diabetes