Exposure to dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 inhibitors and COVID-19 among people with type 2 diabetes: A case-control study

Diabetes Obes Metab. 2020 Oct;22(10):1946-1950. doi: 10.1111/dom.14097. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Abstract

Because other coronaviruses enter the cells by binding to dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4), it has been speculated that DPP-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) may exert an activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In the absence of clinical trial results, we analysed epidemiological data to support or discard such a hypothesis. We retrieved information on exposure to DPP-4is among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) hospitalized for COVID-19 at an outbreak hospital in Italy. As a reference, we retrieved information on exposure to DPP-4is among matched patients with T2D in the same region. Of 403 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 85 had T2D. The rate of exposure to DPP-4is was similar between T2D patients with COVID-19 (10.6%) and 14 857 matched patients in the region (8.8%), or 793 matched patients in the local outpatient clinic (15.4%), 8284 matched patients hospitalized for other reasons (8.5%), and when comparing 71 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia (11.3%) with 351 matched patients with pneumonia of another aetiology (10.3%). T2D patients with COVID-19 who were on DPP-4is had a similar disease outcome as those who were not. In summary, we found no evidence that DPP-4is might affect hospitalization for COVID-19.

Keywords: antidiabetic drug, database research, DPP-4 inhibitor, pharmacoepidemiology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology*
  • Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2 / drug effects
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology

Substances

  • Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors