T2D Patient-Reported Outcomes Improved After Switching From Dulaglutide to Tirzepatide

WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were not achieving glycemic control while receiving a stable dose of dulaglutide, switching to tirzepatide is associated with improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROs), according to a research letter published online March 31 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Kristina S. Boye, Ph.D., from Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana, and colleagues reported PROs measuring health-related quality of life (QoL) from a phase 4, randomized, open-label, active-controlled trial in adults with T2D. In the trial, participants who were not achieving glycemic control while receiving a stable dose of dulaglutide and zero to three oral antihyperglycemic medications had significant and greater improvements in hemoglobin A1c and body weight when they switched from 0.75 or 1.5 mg of dulaglutide to 15 mg or the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of tirzepatide, compared with escalating to 4.5 mg or the MTD of dulaglutide.The researchers found an improved emotional effect for diabetes treatment. Most participants treated with tirzepatide reported feeling "much more" hopeful, optimistic, happy, self-confident, and good about themselves compared how they felt with previous treatment, based on the Emotional Impact of Diabetes Treatment Questionnaire-Comparison responses. More participants felt "much more" in control of their diabetes, eating, and weight after switching to tirzepatide versus escalating dulaglutide, and more tirzepatide-treated participants reported feeling "much less" fearful, frustrated, and worried. Both groups had improvements in total Impact of Weight on Self-Perception, Ability to Perform Physical Activities of Daily Living, Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite Clinical Trials Version, and Global Impression of Emotional Health one-week recall scores from baseline, with numerically larger improvements in the tirzepatide treatment group."Greater clinical effects may be associated with a greater QoL gain for patients," the authors write.The authors were all employees of Eli Lilly and Company, which manufactures tirzepatide and funded the study.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

T2D Patient-Reported Outcomes Improved After Switching From Dulaglutide to Tirzepatide

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