title: The effects of combined insulin and metformin therapy in obese patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 in the early stage of the disease.
abstract: Combination of insulin and metformin has been shown to improve glycaemic control in clinical trials, particularly in obese patients with diabetes type 2. Insulin therapy can improve function of pancreatic beta cells and periphery insulin activity in target cells in order to enhance glycaemic homeostasis (1, 2, 3). In our study we included obese patients with diabetes type 2 in the early stage of the disease. The study is partially retrospective and partially prospective. The study encompassed 40 patients split in two groups. The first group of 20 patients received insulin therapy combined with metformin, while the patients of the second group were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs, sulfonylureas and metformin. Three months later, the group treated with insulin and metformin showed improvement in the monitored parameters, namely significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.003), MFBG (p = 0.0009), PPG (p = 0.028). Insulin therapy administered together with metformin, in obese patients with diabetes type 2, in the early stage of the disease, resulted in well regulated fasting blood glycaemia, as well as post challenge glycaemia and HbA1c.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Sarajevo Univeristy Clinics Center, Bolnicka 25, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Belma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ascić-Buturović
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008687:Metformin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds