The association of basal insulin glargine and/or n-3 fatty acids with incident cancers in patients with dysglycemia.

OBJECTIVE Epidemiologic studies linking insulin glargine and glucose-lowering therapies to cancers and n-3 fatty acids to cancer prevention have not been confirmed. We aimed to assess the effect of insulin glargine and n-3 fatty acids on incident cancers within the context of the ORIGIN (Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention) trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The ORIGIN trial is an international, long-term, randomized two-by-two factorial study comparing insulin glargine with standard care and n-3 fatty acids with placebo (double blind) in people with dysglycemia at high risk for cardiovascular events. The primary outcome measure (cancer substudy) was the occurrence of any new or recurrent adjudicated cancer. Cancer mortality and cancer subtypes were also analyzed. RESULTS Among 12,537 people (mean age 63.5 years, SD 7.8; 4,388 females), 953 developed a cancer event during the median follow-up of 6.2 years. In the glargine and standard care groups, the incidence of cancers was 1.32 and 1.32 per 100 person-years, respectively (P = 0.97), and in the n-3 fatty acid and placebo groups, it was 1.28 and 1.36 per 100 person-years, respectively (P = 0.39). No difference in the effect of either intervention was noted within predefined subgroups (P for all interactions ≥0.17). Cancer-related mortality and cancer-specific outcomes also did not differ between groups. Postrandomization HbA1c levels, glucose-lowering therapies (including metformin), and BMI did not affect cancer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Insulin glargine and n-3 fatty acids have a neutral association with overall and cancer-specific outcomes, including cancer-specific mortality. Exposure to glucose-lowering therapies, including metformin, and HbA1c level during the study did not alter cancer risk.

n-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with dysglycemia.

BACKGROUND: The use of n-3 fatty acids may prevent cardiovascular events in patients with recent myocardial infarction or heart failure. Their effects in patients with (or at risk for) type 2 diabetes mellitus are unknown. METHODS: In this double-blind study with a 2-by-2 factorial design, we randomly assigned 12,536 patients who were at high risk for cardiovascular events and had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or diabetes to receive a 1-g capsule containing at least 900 mg (90% or more) of ethyl esters of n-3 fatty acids or placebo daily and to receive either insulin glargine or standard care. The primary outcome was death from cardiovascular causes. The results of the comparison between n-3 fatty acids and placebo are reported here. RESULTS: During a median follow up of 6.2 years, the incidence of the primary outcome was not significantly decreased among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids, as compared with those receiving placebo (574 patients [9.1%] vs. 581 patients [9.3%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87 to 1.10; P=0.72). The use of n-3 fatty acids also had no significant effect on the rates of major vascular events (1034 patients [16.5%] vs. 1017 patients [16.3%]; hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.10; P=0.81), death from any cause (951 [15.1%] vs. 964 [15.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.07; P=0.63), or death from arrhythmia (288 [4.6%] vs. 259 [4.1%]; hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.30; P=0.26). Triglyceride levels were reduced by 14.5 mg per deciliter (0.16 mmol per liter) more among patients receiving n-3 fatty acids than among those receiving placebo (P<0.001), without a significant effect on other lipids. Adverse effects were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Daily supplementation with 1 g of n-3 fatty acids did not reduce the rate of cardiovascular events in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events. (Funded by Sanofi; ORIGIN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00069784.).

Basal insulin and cardiovascular and other outcomes in dysglycemia.

BACKGROUND: The provision of sufficient basal insulin to normalize fasting plasma glucose levels may reduce cardiovascular events, but such a possibility has not been formally tested. METHODS: We randomly assigned 12,537 people (mean age, 63.5 years) with cardiovascular risk factors plus impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or type 2 diabetes to receive insulin glargine (with a target fasting blood glucose level of ≤95 mg per deciliter [5.3 mmol per liter]) or standard care and to receive n-3 fatty acids or placebo with the use of a 2-by-2 factorial design. The results of the comparison between insulin glargine and standard care are reported here. The coprimary outcomes were nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes and these events plus revascularization or hospitalization for heart failure. Microvascular outcomes, incident diabetes, hypoglycemia, weight, and cancers were also compared between groups. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 6.2 years (interquartile range, 5.8 to 6.7). Rates of incident cardiovascular outcomes were similar in the insulin-glargine and standard-care groups: 2.94 and 2.85 per 100 person-years, respectively, for the first coprimary outcome (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94 to 1.11; P=0.63) and 5.52 and 5.28 per 100 person-years, respectively, for the second coprimary outcome (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.11; P=0.27). New diabetes was diagnosed approximately 3 months after therapy was stopped among 30% versus 35% of 1456 participants without baseline diabetes (odds ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64 to 1.00; P=0.05). Rates of severe hypoglycemia were 1.00 versus 0.31 per 100 person-years. Median weight increased by 1.6 kg in the insulin-glargine group and fell by 0.5 kg in the standard-care group. There was no significant difference in cancers (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.13; P=0.97). CONCLUSIONS: When used to target normal fasting plasma glucose levels for more than 6 years, insulin glargine had a neutral effect on cardiovascular outcomes and cancers. Although it reduced new-onset diabetes, insulin glargine also increased hypoglycemia and modestly increased weight. (Funded by Sanofi; ORIGIN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00069784.).

Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics for a large international trial of cardiovascular disease prevention in people with dysglycemia: the ORIGIN Trial (Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine Intervention).

AIMS: Impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and diabetes arise due to insufficient insulin secretion and are risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) events. Thus, targeting normal fasting glucose levels with insulin may reduce CV events. Previous studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may reduce CV death; however, their effect in high-risk dysglycemic individuals is not known. METHODS: People aged > or = 50 years with evidence of CV disease and with IFG, IGT, newly detected or established diabetes (on 0 or 1 oral agent), and a local glycated hemoglobin < 150% of the upper limit of normal for that assay were recruited and allocated to (a) either 1 daily injection of insulin glargine with the dose titrated to achieve a fasting plasma glucose < or = 5.3 mmol/L (95 mg/dL), or standard glycemic care; and (b) either omega-3-acid ethyl esters 90 (1 g consisting of EPA 465 mg and DHA 375 mg) or identical placebo, according to a 2 x 2 factorial design. The 2 different primary outcomes for the insulin and omega-3 fatty acid arms are CV events and CV death, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 12,612 (mean age 64, 35% women) people in 40 countries were randomized during a 2-year period ending December 2005. Eighty-two percent had established diabetes, 6% had new diabetes, and 12% had IGT or IFG; the mean fasting plasma glucose was 7.3 mmol/L (131 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: The ORIGIN trial will determine whether or not either or both of these interventions can reduce CV events.