Factors associated with reaching or not reaching target HbA1c after initiation of basal or premixed insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

AimsTo evaluate factors associated with reaching or not reaching target glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels by analysing the respective contributions of fasting hyperglycaemia (FHG), also referred to as basal hyperglycaemia, vs postprandial hyperglycaemia (PHG) before and after initiation of a basal or premixed insulin regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes. MethodsThis post-hoc analysis of insulin-naïve patients in the DURABLE study randomised to receive either insulin glargine or insulin lispro mix 25 evaluated the percentages of patients achieving a target HbA1c of <7.0% (<53mmol/mol) per baseline HbA1c quartiles, and the effect of each insulin regimen on the relative contributions of PHG and FHG to overall hyperglycaemia. ResultsPatients had comparable demographic characteristics and similar HbA1c and FHG values at baseline in each HbA1c quartile regardless of whether they reached the target HbA1c. The higher the HbA1c quartile, the greater was the decrease in HbA1c, but also the smaller the percentage of patients achieving the target HbA1c. HbA1c and FHG decreased more in patients reaching the target, resulting in significantly lower values at endpoint in all baseline HbA1c quartiles with either insulin treatment. Patients not achieving the target HbA1c had slightly higher insulin doses, but lower total hypoglycaemia rates. ConclusionSmaller decreases in FHG were associated with not reaching the target HbA1c, suggesting a need to increase basal or premixed insulin doses to achieve targeted fasting plasma glucose and improve patient response before introducing more intensive prandial insulin regimens.