title: Treatment Compliance with Fixed-Dose Combination of Vildagliptin/Metformin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Inadequately Controlled with Metformin Monotherapy: A 24-Week Observational Study.
abstract: Objective. To evaluate the differences in treatment compliance with vildagliptin/metformin fixed-dose versus free-dose combination therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Greece. Design. Adult patients with T2DM, inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy, (850 mg bid), participated in this 24-week, multicenter, observational study. Patients were enrolled in two cohorts: vildagliptin/metformin fixed-dose combination (group A) and vildagliptin metformin free-dose combination (group B). Results. 659 patients were enrolled, 360 were male, with mean BMI 30.1, mean T2DM duration 59.6 months, and mean HbA1c at baseline 8%; 366 patients were assigned to group A and 293 to group B; data for 3 patients was missing. In group A, 98.9% of patients were compliant with their treatment compared to 84.6% of group B. The odds ratio for compliance in group A versus B was (OR) 18.9 (95% CI: 6.2, 57.7; P < 0.001). In group A mean HbA1c decreased from 8.1% at baseline to 6.9% (P < 0.001) at the study end and from 7.9% to 6.8% (P < 0.001) in group B. Conclusions. Patients in group A were more compliant than patients in group B. These results are in accordance with international literature suggesting that fixed-dose combination therapies lead to increased compliance to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Hellas S.A., 12th klm National Road 1, Metamorfosis, 14451 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Grigorios
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5564-0396
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rombopoulos
authors.affiliation: Novartis Hellas S.A., 12th klm National Road 1, Metamorfosis, 14451 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Magdalini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatzikou
authors.affiliation: Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), 11 Tsami Karatatsi Street, 11742 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athanasiadis
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Ioannina, Stavros Niarchos Avenue, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Moyses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf