Insulin degludec compared with insulin glargine in insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes: A 26-week, randomized, controlled, Pan-Asian, treat-to-target trial.
BACKGROUND
Insulin degludec (IDeg) is an ultra-long-acting basal insulin with a consistent action profile of >42 h. This trial compared the efficacy and safety of IDeg with insulin glargine (IGlar) in insulin-naïve Asian patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
In this multinational, 26-week, open-label, treat-to-target trial, 435 participants (202 females, 233 males; mean age 58.6 years; mean body mass index 25 kg/m(2); mean glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 8.5%) were randomized (2:1) to IDeg or IGlar, each administered once daily with ≥1 oral antidiabetic drug(s) (OAD).


RESULTS
After 26 weeks, HbA1c had decreased by 1.24 and 1.35% in the IDeg and IGlar groups, respectively (treatment difference [IDeg - IGlar] 0.11%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.03 to 0.24), confirming non-inferiority. Rates of overall confirmed hypoglycemia were similar for IDeg and IGlar during the full trial period (3.0 vs 3.7 episodes/patient-year of exposure [PYE]; rate ratio [RR] 0.82, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.11, P = 0.20), but significantly lower (by 37%) for IDeg during the maintenance period (from week 16 onward; RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.94, P = 0.02). No significant difference in the rate of nocturnal confirmed hypoglycemia was found between IDeg and IGlar in the full trial period (0.8 vs 1.2 episodes/PYE; RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.04, P = 0.07) or maintenance period (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.00, P = 0.05). Adverse event rates were similar between treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Initiating insulin therapy with IDeg in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes, inadequately controlled with OADs, provides similar improvements in long-term glycemic control to IGlar, but at a significantly lower rate of overall confirmed hypoglycemia once stable glycemic control and insulin dosing are achieved. This trial was registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (no. NCT01059799).
The Institute for Adult Diseases Asahi Life Foundation Tokyo Japan.
Yukiko
Y
Onishi
Tokyo Women's Medical University Tokyo Japan.
Yasuhiko
Y
Iwamoto
The Catholic University of Korea Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital Seoul Korea.
Soon Jib
SJ
Yoo
Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd Tokyo Japan.
Per
P
Clauson
Novo Nordisk A/S Søborg Denmark.
Søren C
SC
Tamer
Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Seoul Korea.
Sungwoo
S
Park
Asian; Insulin degludec; Type 2 diabetes