All-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Aim: Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are approved drugs for treating type 2 diabetes (T2DM); however, their effects on mortality and cardiovascular safety are unclear. This metaanalysis was aimed at evaluating the effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events (MACE). Data synthesis: A Medline, Embase, Cochrane database searching for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors was performed up to July 1st, 2021. All randomized controlled trials (RCT) with a duration >52 weeks and comparing the effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors with placebo or active drugs were collected. Further inclusion criteria were: RCT reporting MACE within their primary outcome, or as pre-defined secondary outcome; and RCT enrolling at least 100 patients with T2DM. Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio (MH-OR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the aforementioned outcomes. A total of eight RCTs, enrolling 1124 and 908 patients on alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and comparators, respectively, were identified. No trials reported information on MACE. Treatment with alpha-glucosidase inhibitors was not associated with a significant increase of all-cause mortality compared with other therapies or no therapy/placebo Conclusions: The evidence of beneficial or detrimental effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events is not sufficient to draw any conclusions. (c) 2021 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.