Pancreatic safety of DPP-4 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes millitus: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis
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Updated: Sep 24, 2025

High Resolution 3D Imaging of the Human Pancreas Neuro-insular Network
Published on: January 29, 2018
Fan Yang1, Youzi Dong1, Baohua Li1
1The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Background:
Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitor (DPP-4i) is a common hypoglycemic medication in treating type 2 diabetes millitus. It has become widely utilized in clinical practice due to its ability to effectively manage blood glucose while posing a low risk of hypoglycemia and weight gain. However, there is no consensus on DPP-4i's pancreatic safety due to a paucity of clinical evidence. The safe event appears to be easily overlooked. This review aims to evaluate the pancreatic safety of DPP-4i in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using the standard pairwise and network meta-analysis methods.
Methods:
MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be used to search for published literature on the pancreatic safety of DPP-4 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes millitus, and clinical trial registries will be used to look for unpublished trials. Two independent reviewers will screen literature for eligibility, extract available data, and assess the risk of bias. All divergences will be resolved after rechecking the source papers and further discussion among the reviewers with a complete consensus before inclusion. The risk of bias will be assessed by the Cochrane bias risk tool, and the quality of evidence will be interpreted by the GRADE Working Group approach. We will use STATA16.0 and WinBUGS1.4.3 for paired meta-analysis and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
Results:
This study will evaluate the pancreatic safety of DPP-4 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes millitus.
Conclusion:
This systematic review and network meta-analysis will evaluate the pancreatic safety of DPP-4i in patients with type 2 diabetes millitus. The findings of this study may supplement the evidence-based information on DPP-4i, improve existing understanding of this issue, and assist patients and clinicians in making better treatment decisions by raising their awareness of the problem.
Protocol Registration Number:
INPLASY202230014.
Insights
This review assesses the pancreatic safety of dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitors (DPP-4i) for type 2 diabetes. Findings will aid clinical decisions regarding these common hypoglycemic drugs.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitors (DPP-4i) are widely used for type 2 diabetes due to efficacy and low risk of hypoglycemia/weight gain.
- Concerns exist regarding the pancreatic safety of DPP-4i, but clinical evidence is limited.
- Existing evidence on DPP-4i pancreatic safety is insufficient, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the pancreatic safety of DPP-4 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- To conduct a pairwise and network meta-analysis to synthesize available evidence.
- To provide evidence-based information to support clinical decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across major databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane).
- Inclusion of published and unpublished trials, with rigorous screening and data extraction by two independent reviewers.
- Risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane tool and evidence quality interpretation via the GRADE approach; statistical analysis using STATA and WinBUGS.
Main Results:
- This study will evaluate the pancreatic safety of DPP-4 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Results will synthesize data from eligible studies to assess pancreatic safety outcomes.
- The analysis aims to identify any potential risks associated with DPP-4i use.
Conclusions:
- This systematic review and network meta-analysis will provide a comprehensive evaluation of DPP-4i pancreatic safety in type 2 diabetes.
- Findings are expected to supplement existing evidence, enhance understanding, and guide treatment decisions.
- The study aims to improve patient and clinician awareness regarding DPP-4i pancreatic safety.
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