title: GLP-1 RA Treatment Patterns Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Five European Countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are a relatively new class of injectable drugs used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This retrospective database study evaluated real-world treatment patterns of T2D patients initiating GLP-1 RAs in Belgium (BE), France (FR), Germany (DE), The Netherlands (NL) and Sweden (SE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult T2D patients initiating exenatide twice daily (exBID), exenatide once weekly (exQW), liraglutide (LIRA) or lixisenatide (LIXI) during 2013 were identified using the QuintilesIMS (QuintilesIMS, Durham, NC, and Danbury, CT, USA) longitudinal retail pharmacy databases (LRx; BE/FR/DE/NL) and national health register data (SE). Therapy initiation date was termed 'index date.' Eligible patients had ≥180-day pre- and variable follow-up (minimum ≥360 days post-index). Baseline patient and treatment characteristics were assessed. Treatment modification and persistence were evaluated over the 1-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves evaluated stopping of the index therapy (first of discontinuation or switch) over the available follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4339 exBID, 1499 exQW, 20,955 LIRA and 1751 LIXI patients were included in the analysis (45.1-61.9% female; mean age range 57.1-62.9 years). Mean follow-up ranged from 17.7 to 30.7 months. Across countries/databases, the proportion experiencing a treatment modification at 1-year ranged from 84.1 to 93.8% for exBID, 53.3-73.4% for exQW and 59.5-80.5% for LIRA patients. The proportion of LIXI patients with treatment modification was 55.0% in Belgium (N = 20) and 96.9% in Germany (LIXI taken off the German market in April 2014). In KM analyses, LIRA patients had the lowest proportion stopping therapy, while exBID patients had the highest proportion stopping therapy, across databases, with the exception of LIXI patents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment patterns varied among GLP-1 RA patients, and persistence was generally highest among LIRA and lowest among exBID across countries. Longer term data would be useful, given the recent approval of several GLP-1 RA therapies.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.affiliation: QuintilesIMS, Fairfax, VA, USA. victoria.divino@quintilesims.com.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Divino
authors.affiliation: QuintilesIMS, Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Mitch
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeKoven
authors.affiliation: QuintilesIMS, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Farhad Ali
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Boye
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sapin
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Norrbacka
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Exenatide BID; Exenatide QW; Glucagon-like peptide 1/analogs and derivatives; Glucagon-like peptide 1/therapeutic use; Liraglutide; Lixisenatide; Persistence; Retrospective studies; Treatment patterns; Type 2/drug therapy