THE EFFECT OF LINAGLIPTIN ON ARRHYTHMIA IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that prevents the inactivation of incretin hormones and also stimulates the release of glucose-dependent insulin. Electrocardiographic abnormalities such as P wave dispersion and QT dispersion are associated with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and atrial fibrillation, respectively. In this study, we seek to determine if the introduction of linagliptin has any impact on the P wave dispersion and QT dispersion in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 60 random patients (28 females- 46.7 % , 18 hypertension- 30 %, 16 smokers- 26.7 % ) who were admitted to the Training and Research Hospital internal medicine policlinic between October 2019 and May 2021 and who started linagliptin. The patients' electrocardiograms were taken at the start and the conclusion of the sixth month. Echocardiography was performed at treatment initiation and at the 6th month. RESULTS: When basal and 6th month electrocardiograms were compared, significant changes were observed in P wave dispersion (0.0435 ± 0.014 - 0.0312 ± 0.011 p<0.01), QT interval dispersion (0.0496 ± 0.01 - 0.0402 ± 0.01 p<0.01) and QTc interval dispersion (0.051 ± 0.01 - 0.038 ± 0.14 p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated in this study that linagliptin had no detrimental effects on heart rhythm. Our study will be a guide for longer follow-up studies.