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

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). 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. 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. 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.