Sitagliptin attenuates the progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with coronary disease and type 2 diabetes

Abstract Background and aims Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a well-recognized independent risk factor for ASCVD, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, sitagliptin, on prevention of progression of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA) in T2DM patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-center, open-label, blinded end point, controlled 18-month study in patients with CAD and T2DM. A total of 149 patients, who had at least 1 atherosclerotic plaque with 20%–80% luminal narrowing in a coronary artery, and had not undergone intervention during a clinically indicated coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention, were randomized to sitagliptin group (n = 74) or control group (n = 75). Atherosclerosis progression was measured by repeat 3D-QCA examination in 88 patients at study completion. The primary outcome was changes in percent atheroma volume (PAV) from baseline to study completion measured by 3D-QCA. Secondary outcomes included change in 3D-QCA-derived total atheroma volume (TAV) and late lumen loss (LLL). Results The primary outcome of PAV increased of 1.69% (95%CL, −0.8%–4.2%) with sitagliptin and 5.12% (95%CL, 3.49%–6.74%) with the conventional treatment (p = 0.023). The secondary outcome of change in TAV in patients treated with sitagliptin increased of 6.45 mm3 (95%CL,-2.46 to 6.36 mm3) and 9.45 mm3 (95%CL,-4.52 to 10.14 mm3) with conventional treatment (p = 0.023), however, no significant difference between groups was observed (p = 0.175). Patients treated with sitagliptin had similar LLL as compared with conventional antidiabetics (−0.06, 95%CL, −0.22 to 0.03 vs. −0.08, −0.23 to −0.03 mm, p = 0.689). Conclusions In patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, treatment with sitagliptin resulted in a significantly lower rate of progression of coronary atherosclerosis compared with conventional treatment.