Liraglutide use and evaluation of pancreatic outcomes in a US commercially insured population.

Funch D, Mortimer K, Ziyadeh NJ, Seeger JD, Li L, Norman H, Major-Pedersen A, Bosch-Traberg H, Gydesen H, Dore DD

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism24 May 2019Cited by 13 (Europe PMC)

PMID30945402PMCIDPMC6772183DOI10.1111/dom.13739PepBankPUB-30945402

Summary

AimsBoth acute pancreatitis (AP) and pancreatic cancer (PC) have been areas of focus for studies of incretin drugs. This 5-year prospective cohort study aimed to quantify possible associations between liraglutide and risk of AP and PC as compared to other antidiabetic drugs (ADs).Materials and methodsPatients initiating liraglutide or other ADs who were enrolled in a US health plan (2010-2014) were included. Comparisons of AP and PC incidence rates were made between matched cohorts of liraglutide initiators and initiators of other ADs. Adjudicated AP cases and algorithm-based PC cases were identified. Propensity score-matched intention-to-treat (ITT) and time-on-drug (TOD) analyses were completed using Poisson regression. A latency analysis was performed for PC.ResultsMedian follow-up was 405 days for AP cohorts (9995 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators) and 503 days for PC cohorts (35 163 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators). In the primary AP analysis, "current" use of liraglutide was not significantly associated with elevated risk across comparators (all comparators relative risk [RR] = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-2.3). ITT results were similar where, in the primary analysis, no RRs were significantly associated with PC (all comparators RR = 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3-1.4); latency and TOD analyses did not alter findings. There was no evidence of a dose-response effect.ConclusionsLiraglutide was not associated with an increased risk of AP or PC, although risk estimates were more variable for AP, and numbers of cases for both outcomes were limited because of the rarity of outcomes.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

01HumanObservational studySafety outcome
In US adults with diabetes, liraglutide use was not significantly associated with pancreatic cancer risk compared with other antidiabetic drugs (RR 0.7).
In plain wordsIn US adults with diabetes, taking liraglutide was not linked to a clearly different risk of pancreatic cancer than taking other diabetes drugs.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
No significant changePancreatic cancer risk with liraglutide use
Study
n = 35,163
Comparator
Other antidiabetic drugs (all comparators)
Analysis
Primary
Outcome group
Adverse events · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
Relative risk
0.7 RR
pancreatic cancer, 95% CI 0.3-1.4
Source sentences
Summary
ITT results were similar where, in the primary analysis, no RRs were significantly associated with PC (all comparators RR = 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3-1.4); latency and TOD analyses did not alter findings.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Patients initiating liraglutide or other ADs who were enrolled in a US health plan (2010-2014) were included.
Summary · context
Median follow-up was 405 days for AP cohorts (9995 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators) and 503 days for PC cohorts (35 163 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3094540202
02HumanObservational studySafety outcome
In US adults with diabetes, current liraglutide use was not significantly associated with a higher risk of acute pancreatitis than other antidiabetic drugs (RR 1.2).
In plain wordsIn US adults with diabetes, taking liraglutide was not linked to a clearly higher risk of acute pancreatitis than taking other diabetes drugs.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
No significant changeAcute pancreatitis risk with current liraglutide use
Study
n = 9,995
Comparator
Other antidiabetic drugs (all comparators)
Analysis
Primary
Outcome group
Adverse events · Gastrointestinal
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
Relative risk
1.2 RR
acute pancreatitis, 95% CI 0.6-2.3
Source sentences
Summary
In the primary AP analysis, "current" use of liraglutide was not significantly associated with elevated risk across comparators (all comparators relative risk [RR] = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-2.3).
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Patients initiating liraglutide or other ADs who were enrolled in a US health plan (2010-2014) were included.
Summary · context
Median follow-up was 405 days for AP cohorts (9995 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators) and 503 days for PC cohorts (35 163 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3094540201
03HumanObservational studySafety outcome
In US adults with diabetes, there was no evidence of a dose-response effect of liraglutide on pancreatic outcomes.
In plain wordsIn US adults with diabetes, higher liraglutide doses were not linked to more pancreatic problems.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
No significant changeDose-response of pancreatic outcomes
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Other antidiabetic drugs (all comparators)
Outcome group
Adverse events · Gastrointestinal
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
There was no evidence of a dose-response effect.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Patients initiating liraglutide or other ADs who were enrolled in a US health plan (2010-2014) were included.
Summary · context
Median follow-up was 405 days for AP cohorts (9995 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators) and 503 days for PC cohorts (35 163 liraglutide, 1:1 matched to all comparators).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3094540203

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
12 Oct 2026, 12:10 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 03:05 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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