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Key Points Question Can the effectiveness of second-line treatment of type 2 diabetes after initial therapy with metformin be characterized via an open collaborative research network? Findings In this analysis of data from more than 246 million patients in multiple cohorts, treatment with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors compared with sulfonylureas and thiazolidinediones did not differ in reducing hemoglobin A 1c levels or hazard of kidney disorders. In a meta-analysis, sulfonylureas compared with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors were associated with a small increased hazard of myocardial infarction and eye disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes. Meaning Large-scale characterization of the effectiveness of type 2 diabetes therapy across nations through an open collaborative research network aligns with the 2017 recommendation of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology in type 2 diabetes management recommending dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors over sulfonylureas in patients with diabetes for whom metformin was the first-line treatment.

Background and Aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is associated with a hyper-inflammatory syndrome which may cause life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an anti-inflammatory agent, tocilizumab (TCZ), a monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin 6 receptor. Materials and Methods: We included 53 patients admitted between April and July 2020 with COVID-19 pneumonia who received TCZ. Patients received one intravenous infusion of TCZ, dosed at 8 mg/kg, up to a maximum dose of 800 mg. All patients were evaluated with clinical, laboratory, and radiological parameters. Results: Out of 53 patients 28 (52.8%) had severe disease and 25 (47.2%) had the moderate disease. The mean age was 55 years. The most common presenting symptom was fever (73%; n = 39). C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), d-dimer, and ferritin levels were elevated at baseline. After TCZ administration CRP, ferritin and NLR levels reduced significantly whereas d-dimer levels did not fall. Pulmonary fibrosis may be observed later in the course of the disease. All the mortality occurred in patients who had severe disease on presentation. There was no difference in outcomes according to gender, diabetic status, and presence of preexisting cardiac disease. Conclusion: Overall, TCZ administration is safe and effective in improving clinical and laboratory parameters with a possible reduction in the need for ventilatory care and duration of intensive care unit stay, particularly in patients with moderate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus- 2 disease. However, our results should be considered preliminary and should be interpreted with caution as they stem from an uncontrolled series.

Context: Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) is a novel mode of thrombolysis where thrombolytic agents are directed through catheter to a specific area of interest; hence, low-dose thrombolytic agent will be required to produce satisfactory thrombolysis results. This will subsequently decrease the bleeding complications. With this postulation, a study was conducted to compare the outcome of CDT versus systemic thrombolysis (ST) in patients with massive and submassive pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods: The present study prospectively included the cases of massive and submassive (high-risk) PE and randomly distributed 25 patients into two groups each: Group A underwent CDT, whereas Group B underwent ST. The outcomes of both the groups were studied including mortality and bleeding complications, and patients were followed up for 6 months. At the end of the study, data were analyzed, and outcomes of both the groups were compared. Results: Baseline characteristics were similar in both the groups. The success rate was 90.4% in Group A (CDT) and 75% in Group B (ST) among patients with massive PE (P = 0.95). The mortality rate was numerically higher in the ST group (12%) than in the CDT group (8%). Bleeding complications were higher in the ST group (20%) than in the CDT group (8%). Conclusion: CDT was found to be noninferior to ST with respect to primary outcomes of mortality and success rate of thrombolysis. CDT had lower occurrence of bleeding episodes. CDT can be considered viable alternative to ST in patients with high bleeding risk.