Management of Diabetes Mellitus with Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist liraglutide in renal transplant recipients: A retrospective study

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the major cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Taiwan. Despite the use of steroids and/or calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) in renal transplantation (RTx), additional challenges occur when a patient displays persisting metabolic disease, carries on an unhealthy lifestyle, or experiences genetic effects. Although RTx recipients could get better glycemic control by oral anti-diabetic drugs (OADs) or several insulin agents, they still need more than two kinds of medication. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, stimulates insulin secretion and inhibits glucagon secretion and hepatic glucose production in a glucose-dependent manner. In addition, it delays gastric emptying and suppresses appetite through the central pathways. Herein we report on the long-term benefits of liraglutide in the management of DM in RTx recipients.