Effect of sitagliptin monotherapy on serum total ghrelin levels in people with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Aim: Sitagliptin is not associated with weight gain and has neutral effects on body weight. It is unclear whether sitagliptin treatment alters serum ghrelin levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Forty-four subjects with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to receive sitagliptin or medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for 12 weeks. Changes in anthropometric variables, glycemic control, insulin resistance, lipid parameters, and total ghrelin levels were evaluated at baseline and following 12 weeks of treatment.

Results: Significant decreases in body weight and body mass index were observed over the entire study period in both treatment groups. Glycosylated hemoglobin and postprandial plasma glucose levels were statistically significant decreased in the groups receiving sitagliptin compared with baseline values (p = 0.021 and p = 0.021, respectively), while they were unchanged in the groups receiving MNT. There was a significant decrease in total ghrelin in the groups receiving sitagliptin (p = 0.04) compared with baseline values but not in the groups receiving MNT (p = 0.46) at the end of the 12 weeks.

Conclusions: In this study of patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with sitagliptin was associated with a significant decrease in serum ghrelin levels. These results suggest that the neutral effect of sitagliptin on weight might be associated with the suppression of fasting serum ghrelin levels.