Pre-op liraglutide cuts post-op plasma glucose in T2DM

(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing non-cardiac surgery, premedication with liraglutide is associated with reduced median plasma glucose one hour postoperatively, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Anaesthesia.

J.A.W. Polderman, from Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam, and colleagues randomized patients aged 18 to 75 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing non-cardiac surgery to receive premedication with liraglutide (44 patients), glucose-insulin-potassium infusion (53 patients), or insulin bolus regimen (53 patients); the glucose target was <8 mmol/L^-1.

The researchers found that the liraglutide group had lower median plasma glucose one hour postoperatively compared with the insulin infusion and insulin bolus groups (6.6 versus 7.5 and 7.6 mmol/L^-1, respectively). There was no difference between the groups in the incidence of hypoglycemia and postoperative complications. Preoperative nausea occurred in six patients in the liraglutide group compared with no patients in the insulin infusion and insulin bolus groups.

"The preoperative administration of liraglutide stabilized perioperative plasma glucose levels and reduced perioperative insulin requirements, at the expense of increased preoperative nausea rates," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of liraglutide.

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