Effects of intensive glucose control on incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
The effects of intensive glucose control over conventional glucose control on cardiovascular outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes remain uncertain.


METHODS
We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database to identify randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of intensive glucose control and conventional glucose control, on cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.


RESULTS
Seven trials involving 34,144 participants with type 2 diabetes were included. Intensive glucose control significantly reduced major cardiovascular events by 10% (relative risk (RR) 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.96; P = 0.0006), and non-fatal myocardial infarction by 16% (0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93; P = 0.0006) at the expense of increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia (2.30, 95% CI 1.74-3.03; P < 0.00001), while all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, non-fatal stroke, and heart failure were similar between the two groups. Subgroup analyses showed that patients with longer follow-up duration, shorter diabetic duration, less glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction, higher HbA1c concentration at follow-up, and lower base-line HbA1c benefited more from intensive glucose control.


CONCLUSIONS
An intensive glucose control strategy can effectively reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events but at the expense of a significantly increased risk of severe hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Zhang
Chun-Yu
CY
Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
Sun
Ai-Jun
AJ
Zhang
Shu-Ning
SN
Wu
Chao-neng
CN
Fu
Ming-Qiang
MQ
Xia
Guang
G
Wang
Ke-Qiang
KQ
Zou
Yun-Zeng
YZ
Ge
Jun-Bo
JB
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents