Sex differences in the complications, care and clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes in the Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering ( EXSCEL )

Abstract Aim To examine sex differences in the characteristics and outcomes in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D), with or without cardiovascular disease (CVD), randomized to once‐weekly exenatide (EQW) or placebo in the Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering (EXSCEL). Materials and Methods Baseline characteristics were summarized and compared by sex. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for clinical outcomes, including the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular (CV) death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction or non‐fatal stroke (MACE3). Models including sex‐by‐treatment interaction were used to evaluate differences in effects of EQW. Results Overall, 5603 women and 9149 men were followed for a median of 3.2 years. Women were younger (mean 61.4 vs. 62.2 years, P < .001) and had a shorter duration of diabetes (mean 12.9 vs. 13.2 years, P = .039) and less coronary artery disease (35.2% vs. 61.0%, P < .001) than men, but also a less favourable metabolic risk profile and lower use of cardioprotective medications. MACE3 occurred in 9.1% of women and 13.5% of men, corresponding to 2.82 versus 4.40 events/100 participant‐years (adjusted hazard ratio 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70‐0.93, P = .003). There was no difference in MACE3 with EQW compared with placebo, or evidence of heterogeneity of treatment effect by sex. Conclusions This analysis of a large population of individuals with T2D, with or without established CVD, identified between‐sex differences in clinical characteristics and care. Despite having worse management of CV risk factors, women had significantly lower rates of important CV events not attributable to the effects of study treatment.