Actual usage and clinical effectiveness of insulin preparations in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus in Japan: CoDiC-based analysis of clinical data obtained at multiple institutions (JDDM 3)

Combination of disease duration-to-age at diagnosis and hemoglobin A1c-to-serum C-peptide reactivity ratios predicts patient response to glucose-lowering medication in type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study across Japan (JDDM59)

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

Knowing the collective clinical factors that determine patient response to glucose-lowering medication would be beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We carried out a retrospective cohort study to explore the combination of clinical factors involved in its therapeutic efficacy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The results of cohort studies retrieved using the CoDiC® database across Japan from January 2005 to July 2018 were analyzed based on criterion that using insulin therapy indicates severe type 2 diabetes.

RESULTS

A logistic regression analysis showed that age at diagnosis, disease duration, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum C-peptide reactivity (CPR) at medication commencement were associated with the probability of insulin treatment. Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that these clinical factors predicted insulin treatment positivity with an area under the curve of >0.600. The area under the curve increased to 0.674 and 0.720 for the disease duration-to-age at diagnosis ratio and HbA1c-to-CPR ratio, respectively. Furthermore, area under the curve increased to 0.727 and 0.750 in the indices (duration-to-age ratio at diagnosis × 43 + HbA1c) and (duration-to-age ration at diagnosis × 21 + HbA1c-to-CPR ratio), respectively. After stratification to three groups according to the indices, monthly HbA1c levels during 6 months of treatment were higher in the upper one-third than in the lower one-third of patients, and many patients did not achieve the target HbA1c level (53 mmol/mol) in the upper one-third, although greater than fourfold more patients were administered insulin in the upper one-third.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of disease duration-to-age at diagnosis and HbA1c-to-CPR ratios is a collective risk factor that predicts response to the medications.

Relationship between the efficacy of oral antidiabetic drugs and clinical features in type 2 diabetic patients (JDDM38)

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

We carried out an observational cohort study to examine the relationship between the efficacy of oral antidiabetic drugs and clinical features in type 2 diabetics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the CoDiC(®) database of the Japan Diabetes Data Management Study Group across 67 institutions in Japan. In a total of 3,698 drug-naïve patients who were initiated with metformin, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) or sulfonylurea (SU) from 2007 to 2012, we evaluated body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The patients were stratified according to their clinical features, and matched using a propensity score to adjust for baseline factors.

RESULTS

HbA1c was reduced with all drugs, with the largest effect elicited by DPP-4i and the smallest by SU (P = 0.00). HbA1c increased with SU after 6 months in the patients stratified by an age-of-onset of <50 years (P = 0.00). BMI increased with SU in the patients stratified by a BMI of <25 (P = 0.00), and decreased with metformin in the patients with a BMI >25 (P = 0.00). The reduction in HbA1c was larger in patients with HbA1c of ≥8%, compared with that in patients with HbA1c of <8% (P = 0.00). HbA1c during the study period was higher in patients who were added to or swapped with other drug(s), than in patients continued on the original drug (P = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

The effect on bodyweight and glycemic control differed among metformin, DPP-4i and SU, and the difference was associated with clinical features.

A comparison of IDeg + IAsp versus IDet + IAsp in subjects with type 1 diabetes: subgroup analysis of Japanese subjects

Objective

Efficacy and safety were compared between insulin degludec (IDeg) once daily (OD) in combination with mealtime insulin aspart (IAsp) and insulin detemir (IDet) OD or twice daily (BID) in combination with mealtime IAsp in Japanese subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Materials and methods

This was a post hoc analysis of a multinational, controlled, open-label, parallel-group, treat-to-target trial that randomised adults [aged ≥18 years (≥20 years for Japan)] with T1DM for ≥12 months to basal IDeg OD (n = 124) or IDet (n = 62), both with mealtime bolus IAsp. The IDet dosing was adjusted to BID if required at ≥8 weeks.

Results

The estimated mean change in HbA_1c from baseline to week 26 (the primary outcome measure) was -1.03 % in the IDeg + IAsp group and -0.94 % in the IDet + IAsp group (mean estimated treatment difference [ETD] -0.09; 95 % confidence interval [CI] -0.29, 0.10). Significantly greater reductions in fasting plasma glucose were observed in the IDeg + IAsp group (mean ETD -39.36 mg/dL; 95 % CI -56.04, -22.68). Both groups had similar rates of confirmed hypoglycaemia (59.9 and 59.2 per patient-year of exposure [PYE] with IDeg + IAsp and IDet + IAsp, respectively). Rates of nocturnal confirmed hypoglycaemia were significantly lower with IDeg + IAsp than with IDet + IAsp (5.2 vs 9.5 episodes per PYE; estimated ratio 0.48; 95 % CI 0.31, 0.75). Adverse event profiles were similar.

Conclusion

The findings were consistent with those of the global trial population. IDeg + IAsp may represent an improvement on current standard treatments for Japanese patients with T1DM.

Evaluation of insulin regimens as an effective option for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A propensity score-matched cohort study across Japan (JDDM31)

Aims/Introduction

We evaluated the long‐term efficacy of insulin regimens in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and poor glycemic control despite oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD).

Materials and Methods

We carried out a propensity score‐matched cohort study using the CoDiC^® database of the Japan Diabetes Data Management Study Group across 54 institutions in Japan from 2005 to 2010. A total of 10,854 patients on OAD in 2005 were studied, and 1,253 patients (11.5%) were treated with insulin until 2010. The changes in insulin regimens and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were analyzed over this study period.

Results

Propensity score matching showed no differences in the baseline patient characteristics. A total of 96 patients transferred to insulin, and HbA1c gradually and significantly decreased in the patients on a twice‐daily premixed preparation of rapid‐acting human‐insulin analogs (twice‐daily MIX) and basal–bolus therapy with rapid‐acting human‐insulin analogs (RA) plus long‐acting insulin analog (LA; P < 0.001). A total of 418 patients had insulin added to OAD treatment, and HbA1c decreased in the patients with a twice‐daily MIX (P < 0.001), but HbA1c did not differ from the baseline values in the patients on basal LA (P = 0.497). The mean decline in HbA1c at the end of the study was therefore larger in the patients receiving twice‐daily MIX than in the patients receiving basal LA (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The present study could suggest the potential loss of opportunity for many patients treated using basal LA to have received alternative insulin regimens and to achieve better glycemic control.

Insulin degludec in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Insulin degludec is an ultra‐long‐acting insulin with a flat time‐action profile and duration of action >42 h. Data from several studies have shown insulin degludec to have a favorable therapeutic profile in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

This was a 6‐week, parallel‐group, randomized controlled trial carried out in 65 Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes, previously treated with mealtime insulin aspart and either insulin glargine or neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin. Patients were randomized to receive either insulin degludec or insulin detemir, each once daily and at the same unit dose as pretrial basal insulin. During the trial, basal insulin was titrated according to a prespecified algorithm in order to achieve a fasting plasma glucose target of 80–109 mg/dL.

Results

No severe hypoglycemia occurred; there was no significant difference in confirmed hypoglycemia rates with insulin degludec and insulin detemir (rate ratio degludec/detemir 0.78; 95% confidence interval 0.45–1.34). The rate of nocturnal confirmed hypoglycemia was 69% lower with insulin degludec than with insulin detemir (rate ratio 0.31; 95% confidence interval 0.13–0.78). Final fasting plasma glucose levels were similar (insulin degludec 147 mg/dL, insulin detemir 136 mg/dL), despite differing baseline fasting plasma glucose levels.

Conclusions

In conclusion, no concerns relating to hypoglycemia or general safety were observed when initiating insulin degludec in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes at the same unit dose as previous basal insulin. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00841087).

Diabetes in Japan: a review of disease burden and approaches to treatment

In recent years there has been rapid growth in diabetes in Japan which now is one of the nations most affected by the worldwide diabetes epidemic. Diabetes has been identified as a healthcare priority by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Type 1 diabetes is rare in Japan, and type 2 diabetes predominates in both adults and children. The growth in diabetes is due to increases in the number of people with type 2 diabetes associated with increased longevity and lifestyle changes. Approximately 13.5% of the Japanese population now has either type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. This high prevalence of type 2 diabetes is associated with a significant economic burden, with diabetes accounting for up to 6% of the total healthcare budget. The costs of diabetes are increased in patients with co-morbidities such as hypertension and hyperlipidaemia and in patients who develop complications, of which retinopathy has the highest cost. Costs increase with increasing number of complications. Current guidelines from the Japan Diabetes Society (JDS) recommend a target HbA(1c) of 6.5% for glycaemic control. This is achieved in approximately one third of patients with type 2 diabetes, and Japanese patients typically have lower HbA(1c) than patients in Western countries (e.g. US, UK). Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes have better adherence with diet and exercise recommendations than their peers in Western countries. Sulfonylureas have been the most widely prescribed first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, although there is increasing use of combination therapy and of insulin.