RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare diabetes (DM)-related outcomes between basal-bolus (BB) and premixed (PM) insulin regimens. METHODS: Retrospective chart review including veterans with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), ≥18 years old with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥8%. Outcomes were assessed after one year of BB or PM insulin therapy. Data were analyzed using Chi-square/Fisher exact tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: Out of 140 enrolled subjects (70 BB and 70 PM), 94% were males with average age and duration of DM of 65.7 ± 10.1 and 12.9 ± 9 years, respectively. The BB and PM groups were similar in age, gender distribution, HbA1c, body mass index (BMI) and DM duration at baseline. Following 1 year of treatment, there was no significant difference between the groups for change in HbA1c (-1.9 ± 1.8 vs -2.1 ± 1.9%, p = 0.3) or hypoglycemia rate (30% vs 21.4%, p = 0.3), respectively. There was similar increase in average BMI in both groups (0.84 ± 3.1 for BB vs 0.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2 for PM, p = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences for glycemic control, hypoglycemia rate or BMI between the BB or PM insulin groups. These results suggest PM insulin is equally effective and safe as BB insulin.