Evans M, Engberg S, Faurby M, et al. - In type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients, better adherence to and persistence with antidiabetic medication was linked with lower rates of microvascular and/or macrovascular outcomes and inpatient hospitalization, as well as lower or budget-neutral total healthcare costs.

• Real-world non-interventional studies reporting estimates of adherence to and persistence with antidiabetic medication in adults with T2D (n=92 studies, majority of which were retrospective and reported US data) were analyzed.

• A link between greater adherence/persistence and greater decreases in glycated hemoglobin levels was documented in multiple studies.

• Fewer microvascular and/or macrovascular outcomes occurred in relation to better adherence/persistence, although there existed little consistency across studies in terms of which outcomes were improved.

• Less chances of being hospitalized or having emergency department visits/admissions were observed in more adherent and more persistent patients and they spent fewer days in hospital annually, compared with less adherent/persistent patients.

• Generally, lower hospitalization costs, higher pharmacy costs and lower or budget-neutral total healthcare costs were reported with greater adherence and persistence vs lower adherence/persistence.