Do DPP-4 enzyme inhibitors affect hemoglobin, leucocyte and thrombocyte levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?

F. Avcı Merdin, A. Merdin

University of Health Sciences, Ankara Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine Clinic, Ankara, Turkey. fatma_avci.md@hotmail.com

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• Diabetes
• Hematology

OBJECTIVE: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme inhibitors are used to increase the effect of incretins in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to explore possible effects of DPP-4 enzyme inhibitors, which are widely used for blood sugar regulation in patients with type 2 DM, on hemoglobin, leukocyte (leucocyte), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and thrombocyte levels.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 110 patients aged over 18 and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who applied to the Internal Medicine Polyclinic of Ankara Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital between 01.01.2019 and 31.08.2019 for routine control. Patients using metformin for DM and patients using metformin combined with DPP-4 enzyme inhibitors were divided into 2 groups. The data on patient hemogram (complete blood count) parameters were recorded retrospectively from the electronic patient file system. Patients with nutritional anemia were not included in the study. Besides, patients with known additional diseases (such as liver disease, kidney failure and malignancy) that may affect hemogram parameters, and patients with known infectious or inflammatory diseases were not included. Pregnant women were also excluded from the study. In addition, patients using angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor class drugs were not included in the study.

RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of hemoglobin levels, MCV levels, leukocyte counts and thrombocyte counts (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities in hemogram parameters in type 2 DM patients using DPP-4 enzyme inhibitors should not be immediately related to DPP-4 enzyme inhibitors, and non-drug etiologies that may cause abnormal levels in hemogram parameters should be carefully investigated.

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