Use of insulin to improve glycemic control in diabetes mellitus

Early Treatment with Basal Insulin Glargine in People with Type 2 Diabetes: Lessons from ORIGIN and Other Cardiovascular Trials

Dysglycemia results from a deficit in first-phase insulin secretion compounded by increased insulin insensitivity, exposing β cells to chronic hyperglycemia and excessive glycemic variability. Initiation of intensive insulin therapy at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to achieve normoglycemia has been shown to reverse glucotoxicity, resulting in recovery of residual β-cell function. The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) 10-year post-trial follow-up reported reductions in cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality in persons with T2DM who initially received intensive glucose control compared with standard therapy. In the cardiovascular outcome trial, outcome reduction with an initial glargine intervention (ORIGIN), a neutral effect on cardiovascular disease was observed in the population comprising prediabetes and T2DM. Worsening of glycemic control was prevented over the 6.7 year treatment period, with few serious hypoglycemic episodes and only moderate weight gain, with a lesser need for dual or triple oral treatment versus standard care. Several other studies have also highlighted the benefits of early insulin initiation as first-line or add-on therapy to metformin. The decision to introduce basal insulin to metformin must, however be individualized based on a risk-benefit analysis. The landmark ORIGIN trial provides many lessons relating to the concept and application of early insulin therapy for the prevention and safe and effective induction and maintenance of glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.

FUNDING

Sanofi.

Influence of glycemic control on the development of diabetic cardiovascular and kidney disease

Diabetes mellitus leads to the development of a host of micro- and macrovascular complications, which collectively lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Among the microvascular complications of diabetes, diabetic kidney disease is the most common. Macrovascular complications from diabetes lead to a 2- to 4-fold increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and up to twice the mortality from cardiovascular causes as compared with nondiabetic individuals. This article discusses the various drug classes used to treat diabetes mellitus, and reviews the current clinical evidence linking glycemic control using these drug classes on diabetic kidney and cardiovascular disease.

Impact of previous insulin therapy on the prognosis of diabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether previous insulin treatment independently influences subsequent outcomes in diabetic patients with ACS (acute coronary syndromes). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 375 diabetic patients with ACS, divided in 2 groups: Group A (n = 69) - previous insulin and Group B (n = 306) - without previous insulin. Predictors of 1-year mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were analyzed by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Group A had more previous stroke (17.4% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.047) and peripheral artery disease (13.0% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.005). They had significantly higher admission glycemia and lower LDL cholesterol. There were no significant differences in the type of ACS, in 1-year mortality (18.2% vs. 10.4%, p = 0.103) or MACE (32.1% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.146) between groups. In multivariate analysis, insulin treatment was neither an independent predictor of 1-year mortality nor of MACE. CONCLUSION: Despite the more advanced atherosclerotic disease, diabetics under insulin had similar outcomes to those without insulin. Insulin may protect diabetics from the expected poor adverse outcome of an advanced atherosclerotic disease.

Is the ADA/EASD algorithm for the management of type 2 diabetes (January 2009) based on evidence or opinion? A critical analysis

The ADA and the EASD recently published a consensus statement for the medical management of hyperglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. The authors advocate initial treatment with metformin monotherapy and lifestyle modification, followed by addition of basal insulin or a sulfonylurea if glycaemic goals are not met (tier 1 recommendations). All other glucose-lowering therapies are relegated to a secondary (tier 2) status and only recommended for selected clinical settings. In our view, this algorithm does not offer physicians and patients the appropriate selection of options to individualise and optimise care with a view to sustained control of blood glucose and reduction both of diabetes complications and cardiovascular risk. This paper critically assesses the basis of the ADA/EASD algorithm and the resulting tiers of treatment options.

An obesity drug sibutramine reduces brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in severely obese patients

OBJECTIVES

Sibutramine is a selective inhibitor of the reuptake of monoamines. Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) appear to be inversely associated with body mass index (BMI) in subjects with and without heart failure for reasons that remain unexplained. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence of sibutramine treatment on BNP levels in severely obese patients.

METHODS

Fifty-two severely obese female patients with BMI > 40 kg/m(2) were included to this study. The women were recommended to follow a weight-reducing daily diet of 25 kcal/kg of ideal body weight. During the treatment period, all patients were to receive 15 mg of sibutramine once a day. Blood chemistry tests were performed before the onset of the medication and after 12 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

None of the subjects was withdrawn from the study because of the adverse effects of sibutramine. Body weight (108.8 +/- 13.3 kg vs. 101.7 +/- 15.6 kg, p < 0.001), BMI (44.6 +/- 4.6 kg/m(2) vs. 41.8 +/- 5.7 kg/m(2), p < 0.001) and BNP [8.6 (0.5-49.5) ng/l vs. 3.1 (0.2-28.6) ng/l, p = 0.018] levels were significantly decreased after 12 weeks of sibutramine treatment. Total cholesterol (5.19 +/- 0.90 mmol/l vs. 4.82 +/- 1.05 mmol/l respectively; p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (3.26 +/- 0.86 mmol/l vs. 2.99 +/- 0.40 mmol/l respectively; p = 0.008), levels were significantly decreased; however, there was no significant alteration in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown a decrease in BNP levels which may lead to improvement in cardiac outcome after sibutramine treatment. Further randomised studies are needed to be conducted to clarify the relationship between sibutramine and BNP.