Liraglutide Shows Superior Endothelial Function Improvement Over Sitagliptin in Type 2 Diabetes

Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus often suffer from endothelial dysfunction, a key predictor of cardiovascular complications. While both Liraglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist) and Sitagliptin (a DPP-4 inhibitor) improve glycemic control, their comparative effects on direct measures of endothelial health have been less clear. This study aimed to directly compare the impact of these two widely used antidiabetic medications on endothelial function in patients with poorly controlled Type 2 Diabetes.

The study revealed significant differences in endothelial function improvement between the two treatments. The Liraglutide group demonstrated a significant increase in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of +4.5% from baseline, indicating improved endothelial health. In contrast, the Sitagliptin group showed a more modest FMD improvement of +1.2% from baseline, with the difference between groups being statistically significant (p<0.01). Furthermore, Liraglutide treatment led to a greater reduction in inflammatory markers, with C-reactive protein levels decreasing by 25% compared to an 8% reduction in the Sitagliptin group (p<0.05). Glycemic control, as measured by HbA1c, also favored Liraglutide, showing an absolute reduction of 1.5% versus 0.8% with Sitagliptin (p<0.01). > The most impactful finding was that Liraglutide treatment resulted in a 3.75-fold greater improvement in endothelial function compared to Sitagliptin over the 18-month study duration, highlighting its superior cardiovascular benefits.