Efficacy of switching from basal-bolus insulin therapy to twice-daily insulin degludec/insulin aspart co-formulation plus insulin aspart in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of twice-daily (BID) insulin degludec/insulin aspart (IDegAsp) co-formulation + once-daily (OD) bolus insulin aspart (IAsp) injection (IDegAsp BID-Plus) as simplified intensive insulin therapy in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with basal-bolus insulin therapy (BBIT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The retrospective study included 155 patients who switched from BBIT to IDegAsp BID-Plus. After the initiation of the treatment, 73 patients continued regular follow-up and insulin doses, number of injections, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, and other parameters were recorded from their files at baseline, 24, and 52 weeks. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 54.3±10.2 years, the duration of T2DM was 9.7±5.7 years, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was 252.7±66.7 mg/dl, and HbA1c levels were 10.5±1.5%. Among the included patients, 15 patients received five injections, 51 patients received four injections, and 7 patients received three injections per day. There was a significant decrease in HbA1c (respectively; 10.46±1.54%, 7.97±1.24%, 7.98±1.23%, baseline and 6th-month p<0.001, baseline and 12th-month p<0.001), FPG (respectively; 251.6±66.5 mg/dl, 136.1±34.7 mg/dl, 125.4±67.0  mg/dl, baseline and 6th-month p<0.001, baseline and 12th-month p<0.001) and daily dose of insulin (respectively; 102.9±29.0 Unit, 73.2±18.2 U,  63.7±20.3 Unit, baseline and 6th-month p<0.001, baseline and 12th-month p<0.001) at the end of week 24 and 52. CONCLUSIONS: Based on real-world data, this study demonstrated that IDegAsp BID-Plus treatment provides rapid and sustainable blood glucose control with lower insulin doses and fewer injections than previous intensive insulin therapy.