First Basal Insulin Evaluation in Asian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Author Information
Author(s): Shih-Tzer Tsai, Faruque Pathan, Linong Ji, Vincent Tok Fai Yeung, Manoj Chadha, Ketut Suastika, Hyun Shik Son, Kevin Eng Kiat Tan, Yupin Benjasuratwong, Thy Khue Nguyen, Farrukh Iqbal
Primary Institution: Taipei Veterans General Hospital
Hypothesis
The study aims to evaluate the impact of basal insulin initiation in insulin-naïve Type 2 diabetes patients in Asia who are uncontrolled on oral hypoglycemic agents.
Conclusion
Initiating insulin treatment with basal insulin was effective and safe in Asian T2DM patients in a real-world setting, but insulin needs may differ from those in Western countries.
Supporting Evidence
- After 6 months of treatment, A1c levels decreased from 9.8% to 7.7%.
- 33.7% of patients achieved an A1c level of less than 7%.
- Fasting blood glucose levels decreased significantly from 11.7 to 7.2 mmol/L.
- The mean daily insulin dose increased slightly from 0.18 to 0.23 U/kg.
- Reported rates of hypoglycemia were low throughout the study.
- Treatment satisfaction was high among both patients and physicians.
- Insulin needs in Asian patients may be lower compared to Western populations.
Takeaway
This study shows that starting insulin treatment helps many Asian patients with diabetes lower their blood sugar levels, but they often wait too long to start this treatment.
Methodology
A multinational, prospective, observational study where basal insulin was initiated in insulin-naïve T2DM patients inadequately controlled on oral hypoglycemic agents.
Potential Biases
Potential differences in patient characteristics and treatment modalities across countries may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study is observational and may not fully reflect the heterogeneity of the patient population; also, it did not account for variations in A1c measurement methods.
Participant Demographics
The study included 2679 patients (49.8% men, 50.2% women) with a mean age of 56.4 years and a mean duration of diabetes of 9.3 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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