Use of insulin glargine in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of treatment with an insulin glargine-based regimen as compared with those of an NPH insulin-based regimen.


METHODS
We reviewed the charts of 83 Japanese patients with Type 1 diabetes treated with insulin glargine for 12 months.


METHODS
Median age, 56.9 years (range, 24.6-74.8 years), mean (+/-S.D.) body mass index, 21.2 (+/-2.2) kg/m2.


RESULTS
The average HbA1c level of the cohort was 7.8 +/- 1.2% at baseline and 7.7 +/- 1.0% at the end of the 12-month treatment (P=0.34). The average insulin requirement per day in the cohort remained unchanged after the 12-month treatment (35.0 +/- 11.6 units/day versus 35.2 +/- 11.2 units/day (P=0.58). Of the 36 patients who were receiving twice or three times daily injections of NPH insulin, 30 could be switched to a single-daily injection of insulin glargine. The frequency of severe hypoglycemia with unconsciousness became lower after switching to the insulin glargine-based regimen than during treatment with the NPH-based regimen. The average ratio of the daily usage of insulin glargine to that of total insulin after 12 months was smaller than that reported from other countries (0.34 +/- 0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
These results obtained from a larger number of patients as compared to previous Japanese studies confirm earlier reports that insulin glargine provides equivalent glycemic control to human NPH insulin, with a lower incidence of severe hypoglycemia. Thus, treatment with insulin glargine provides some benefits to Japanese patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Yamamoto-Honda
Ritsuko
R
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Marunouchi Hospital attached to the Institute for Adult Diseases, Asahi Life Fondation, Tokyo.
Takahashi
Yoshihiko
Y
Yoshida
Yoko
Y
Hara
Yoko
Y
Kawai
Atsuo
A
Kitazato
Hiroji
H
Tanaka
Takahisa
T
Kajio
Hiroshi
H
Kikuchi
Masatoshi
M
Akanuma
Yasuo
Y
Noda
Mitsuhiko
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007336:Insulin, Isophane / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007336:Insulin, Isophane