Diabetes mellitus and kidney disease in the elderly

Management of diabetic elderly patients with chronic kidney disease involves specific characteristics that affect both metabolic control and therapeutic measures. Blood glucose control targets should be individualised based on life expectancy, renal function, hypoglycaemia risk and comorbidity. Metformin may be used alone or in combination with other oral anti-diabetic drugs but must be discontinued when the glomerular filtration rate is less than 30mL/min. Gliclazide and glipizide are sulfonylureas that do not require dose adjustment in chronic kidney disease but they should be avoided in cases of advanced kidney disease because of the risk of hypoglycaemia. Repaglinide is the only meglitinide recommended in these patients. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors must be avoided in patients with a glomerular filtration rate of less than 25mL/min or those undergoing dialysis. Pioglitazone does not require dose adjustment but it has potentially adverse effects in this population. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are effective and well tolerated. Of the latter, linagliptin does not require dose adjustment. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are not recommended in elderly patients with advanced kidney disease. Lastly, insulin therapy, particularly using the new insulin analogues, allows adequate management of hyperglycaemia in these patients, with different therapeutic regimens that must be individualised in order to avoid hypoglycaemia.