Comparison of repaglinide and metformin monotherapy as an initial therapy in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to compare the effect of repaglinide and metformin monotherapy as an initial therapy in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).


METHODS
In this 15-week, open-labelled, parallel-controlled, randomised study, 60 Chinese drug-naive patients with newly diagnosed T2DM were randomised (2:1) to receive repaglinide or metformin monotherapy. Primary endpoint was change in HbA1c from baseline to the end of the trial. Secondary endpoints included changes in glycaemic variability, insulin sensitivity and β-cell function.


RESULTS
Patients in both repaglinide and metformin groups achieved significant reductions in HbA1c (-1.8 ± 1.5 vs -1.6 ± 1.5%), FPG (fasting blood glucose) (-1.7 ± 1.7 vs -2.1 ± 1.7  mmol/l) and 2-h PPG (post-prandial glucose) (-3.8 ± 3.1 vs -3.8 ± 3.6  mmol/l), with no statistical differences between the groups. Glycaemic variability, glucose infusion rate and β-cell function were all significantly improved from baseline in the two groups (all P<0.05), without any statistical differences in the improvement between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Repaglinide and metformin achieved comparable efficacy in improving glycaemic control, reducing glycaemic variability, enhancing insulin sensitivity and ameliorating β-cell function. Therefore, repaglinide is an optional agent for initial therapy in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed T2DM.
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Fu-Sheng
FS
Fang
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Yan-Ping
YP
Gong
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China lcl301@yeah.net.
Chun-Lin
CL
Li
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Jian
J
Li
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Hui
H
Tian
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Wei
W
Huang
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Liang-Chen
LC
Wang
Department of Geriatric EndocrinologyChinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of EndocrinologyBeijing Haidian Hospital, 29 Huangzhuang, Zhongguangcun Street, Beijing 100080, People's Republic of China.
Lin
L
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D002219:Carbamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002219:Carbamates; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; C072379:repaglinide; D008687:Metformin