Researchers: GLP-1s lead to more pancreatitis hospitalizations

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine reported data from a U.S. case-control study showing Type II diabetics who received glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapies, including sitagliptin and exenatide, were significantly more likely to be hospitalized for acute pancreatitis vs. diabetics who did not receive GLP-1 therapies. Patients who used a GLP-1 therapy within the last 30 days were 2.24 times more likely to be hospitalized for acute pancreatitis vs. non-users (95% CI: 1.36, 3.68), while patients who received a GLP-1 therapy beyond the last 30 days but within the last two years were 2.01 times more likely to be hospitalized for acute pancreatitis vs. non-users (95% CI: 1.37, 3.18). The study compared 1,269 Type II diabetics aged 18-64 years who were hospitalized with acute pancreatitis with 1,269 matched control diabetics. Data were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. ...