title: Age-specific effectiveness and safety of newly initiated insulin therapy in Japanese patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One consequence of population aging is an increase in the number of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. These elderly patients often experience atherosclerotic complications, and diabetes prevention and management are strongly desired to promote health and reduce the financial burden on the healthcare system. In this study, we conducted an age-specific evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of comprehensive management with newly initiated insulin therapy over a 1-year period in elderly (≥65 years) compared with non-elderly (≤64 years) Japanese patients with uncontrolled diabetes [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 8% for ≥ 3 months].
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted in Japan. We screened all outpatients with diabetes mellitus who visited the clinic for diabetes treatment between December 2006 and March 2011. Of these patients, 132 with type 2 diabetes who were newly initiated on insulin therapy for continued poor glycemic control and undergoing comprehensive management through self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) were registered to the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two of 132 registered patients were excluded from the analysis. Among the 100 patients (67 non-elderly, 33 elderly) included in the analysis, median age and proportion of male patients was 69 years and 66.7%, respectively, among the elderly, and 52 years and 68.7%, respectively, among the non-elderly patients. After initiation of insulin therapy, median HbA1c levels improved from 9.6% to 7.2% in elderly patients, and from 10.8% to 7.3% in non-elderly patients at baseline and 12 months. Severe hypoglycemic events were not observed in either patient group; however, uncontrolled diabetes was ongoing in 31.8% of non-elderly and 15.4% of elderly patients, and obesity was associated with poor glycemic control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the effectiveness and safety of newly initiated insulin therapy are similar between elderly and non-elderly Japanese patients with uncontrolled diabetes, and highlight the importance of comprehensive management using SMBG to avoid hypoglycemia. Better glycemic control supported by adequate intensive management is required to improve mortality and morbidity.
authors: Department of General Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Hongo 2-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
authors: Takayoshi
authors: T
authors: Shiga
authors: Hirohide
authors: H
authors: Yokokawa
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Taneda
authors: Eiichiro
authors: E
authors: Sugihara
authors: Mayumi
authors: M
authors: Meijyo
authors: Kazunori
authors: K
authors: Mitsuhashi
authors: Teruhiko
authors: T
authors: Hisaoka
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Isonuma