Dulaglutide vs insulin in adolescents with thalassaemia-induced diabetes: effect on metabolism and atherogenesis (DIADEMA).
DiabetologiaAug 19, 2026 (epub)
Amira Abdel Moneam Adly, Eman Abdel Rahman Ismail, Mohamed Salah Eldin Mohamed Abdel Kader et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
The DIADEMA trial compared dulaglutide to insulin in adolescents (10-18 years) with thalassaemia-induced diabetes. After 24 weeks, dulaglutide significantly reduced glycaemic variability (CV decreased from 39.45% to 35.05%, p<0.001) and improved several metabolic parameters compared to insulin therapy.
Key findings
- Dulaglutide reduced glycaemic variability (CV) from 39.45% to 35.05% (p<0.001).
- Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and total cholesterol decreased significantly with dulaglutide (p<0.05).
- Insulin therapy increased glycaemic variability (CV) from 39.85% to 43.26% (p<0.001).
- Dulaglutide improved fasting C-peptide levels compared to baseline and insulin group (p<0.05).
Why it matters
This study highlights the potential of dulaglutide as a more effective treatment option for adolescents with thalassaemia-induced diabetes, showing improvements in glycaemic control and metabolic health without the risk of hypoglycaemia.