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Evaluation of the risk of fracture in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with incretins: an updated meta-analysis.

Endokrynol Pol · 2021

Last updated 2026-05-28

A review of clinical trials found that incretin drugs used for type 2 diabetes—including GLP-1 drugs like liraglutide—do not increase the risk of fractures overall. However, specific doses of sitagliptin (100 mg per day) or liraglutide (1.8 mg per day) were linked to a lower fracture risk.

AI summary of the abstract below.

JournalEndokrynol Pol, 2021
Citations18
Relative citation ratio1.58
NIH percentile66
Molecules
Conditions studied Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The effect of incretins including dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP4-Is) and glucagon-like peptide1 receptor agonists (GLP1-ras) in the treatment of type 2 diabetes increasing the risk of fracture remains controversial. No meta-analysis has been written to discuss this from the prospective interventional studies. The objective was to evaluate the association between the use of incretins and fracture risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Multiple databases were searched for original articles that investigated the relationship between the use of incretin agents and fracture risk, up to December 2019. Trials using the Mantel-Haenszel method to calculate OR and 95% CI were pooled. The multiple sensitivity, heterogeneity, publication bias, and quality were analysed among the studies to evaluate the robustness of results. RESULTS: The fixed-effects model was used on account of the I² test for heterogeneity (I² = 0.0%). Incretins were not associated with fracture risk [0.97 (95% CI: 0.88-1.08)]. But in the subgroup analysis, when sitagliptin 100 mg per day (OR 0.495, 95% CI: 0.304-0.806) or liraglutide 1.8 mg per day was administered (OR 0.621, 95% CI: 0.413-0.933), it reduced fracture risk. The sensitivity analysis and publication bias prompted the robustness of results. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggested that the current use of incretins not only is safe for fracture in type 2 diabetes patients from RCT studies, but also, when sitagliptin 100 mg or liraglutide 1.8 mg per day was administered, it may exhibit protective effects on bone metabolism.

Verbatim abstract via PubMed 34010433 ↗