Investigators are building an empirical evidence base for real world data through large-scale emulation of randomized controlled trials. The investigators' goal is to understand for what types of clinical questions real world data analyses can be conducted with confidence and how to implement such studies.
This is a non-randomized, non-interventional study that is part of the Randomized Controlled Trials Duplicated Using Prospective Longitudinal Insurance Claims: Applying Techniques of Epidemiology (RCT-DUPLICATE) initiative (www.rctduplicate.org) of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School. It is intended to assess the comparative effectiveness of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin as a placebo proxy, after the pivotal RCT SURPASS-CVOT (NCT04255433) and its emulation (NCT07088718) demonstrated non-inferiority, leaving both regulators and clinical guideline committees uncertain whether to approve and recommend tirzepatide for a cardiovascular indication. This comparative effectiveness target trial described below draws from eligibility criteria from the SURPASS-CVOT trial and its emulation. Although many features of the target trial cannot be directly replicated in healthcare claims, key design features, including outcomes, exposures, and inclusion/exclusion criteria, were selected to proxy those features from the target trial. Randomization cannot be achieved in healthcare claims data but was proxied through a statistical balancing of measured covariates according to standard practice. The purpose of this protocol is to specify the target trial assessing the comparative effectiveness of the dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1-RA) tirzepatide vs the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) sitagliptin on atherosclerotic cardiovascular end points in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The database study will be a new-user active-comparative study, conducted using 2 national United States claims databases, where we compare the effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin in preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular events. Clinical guidelines during the study period recommended both agents under investigation as second-line options for glucose lowering and were similarly costly.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
49,065
New use of tirzepatide dispensing claim is used as the exposure.
New use of sitagliptin dispensing claim is used as the reference.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Major adverse cardiovascular events
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Composite of myocardial infarction or stroke
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the composite of myocardial infarction or stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Myocardial infarction
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin at preventing myocardial infarction in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Stroke
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin at preventing stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
All-cause mortality
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin at preventing all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
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Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina.
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Serious bacterial infections
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the safety outcome of serious bacterial infections in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Urinary tract infections
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the safety outcome of urinary tract infections in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days
Gastrointestinal adverse events
To evaluate the comparative effect of tirzepatide vs sitagliptin on the safety outcome of gastrointestinal adverse events in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when following the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the SURPASS-CVOT trial.
Time frame: 1 day after cohort entry date until the first of outcome or censoring, up to 365 days