Series: Cardiovascular outcome trials for diabetes drugs Alogliptin and EXAMINE

EXAMINE was an FDA mandated cardiovascular outcome trial with alogliptin. In contrast to other cardiovascular outcome trials with DPP-4 inhibitors, it was performed in subjects with a recent acute coronary syndrome. EXAMINE compared alogliptin and placebo in 5,380 subjects with type 2 diabetes and demonstrated non-inferiority for major cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke) but not superiority. Data on hospitalisation for heart failure were not included in the principal publication. A subsequent publication showed no overall increase in hospitalisation for heart failure with alogliptin, but when subjects with and without baseline heart failure were separated there was a significant increase in the group without heart failure at baseline. No clear clinical benefit has been established for alogliptin, and there are alternatives such as sitagliptin and linagliptin that are not associated with an increase in hospitalisation for heart failure.