Increase in the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia in people with Type 2 diabetes in spite of new drugs: analysis based on health insurance data from Germany

Impacts of medication adherence and home healthcare on the associations between polypharmacy and the risk of severe hypoglycemia among elderly diabetic patients in Taiwan from 2002 to 2012: A nationwide case-crossover study

AIM

To assess how medication adherence and home healthcare support influence the role of polypharmacy in induced hypoglycemia events among elderly diabetic patients.

METHODS

This case-crossover study retrieved records on diabetic patients >=65 years with severe hypoglycemia from 2002 to 2012 in Taiwan. Case period defined as 1-3 days before severe hypoglycemia was compared with a preceding control period of the same length, with an all-washout period of 30 days. Moreover, the modifiable effects of medication adherence and home healthcare service use were evaluated by stratified analysis.

RESULTS

Totally 2,237 patients were identified. Polypharmacy use was associated with the risk of severe hypoglycemia. Patients receiving polypharmacy without home healthcare services (aOR: 1.34; 95 % CI: 1.16-1.54) and those with poor adherence to anti-diabetic medications (aOR: 1.48; 95 % CI: 1.24-1.77) were significantly associated with an elevated risk of severe hypoglycemia. In patients with good adherence, non-home healthcare users being prescribed with polypharmacy had a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia. In the group that received home healthcare services, patients with poor adherence using polypharmacy had a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Good adherence and receiving home healthcare services were associated with a decreased odds of severe hypoglycemic events in elderly diabetic patients, regardless of the fact whether they were prescribed with polypharmacy.

Incidence and prevalence of hypoglycaemia in type 1 and type 2 diabetes individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous meta-analysis investigating the incidence and prevalence of hypoglycaemia in both types of diabetes is limited. The purpose of this review is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature which investigates the incidence and prevalence of hypoglycaemia in individuals with diabetes.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases were searched up to October 2018. Observational studies including individuals with diabetes of all ages and reporting incidence and/or prevalence of hypoglycaemia were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model with 95% confidence interval (CI) to estimate the pooled incidence and prevalence of hypoglycaemia in individuals with diabetes.

RESULTS

Our search strategy generated 35,007 articles, of which 72 studies matched the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of hypoglycaemia ranged from 0.074% to 73.0%, comprising a total of 2,462,810 individuals with diabetes. The incidence rate of hypoglycaemia ranged from 0.072 to 42,890 episodes per 1,000 person-years: stratified by type of diabetes, it ranged from 14.5 to 42,890 episodes per 1,000 person-years and from 0.072 to 16,360 episodes per 1,000-person years in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Hypoglycaemia is very common among individuals with diabetes. Further studies are needed to investigate hypoglycaemia-associated risk factors.

Changes in incidence of severe hypoglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes from 2006 to 2016: analysis based on health insurance data in Germany considering the anti-hyperglycaemic medication

AIM

To investigate the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia over the past 10 years, taking into account changes in anti-hyperglycaemic therapy.

METHODS

This retrospective population-based study used German health insurance data. All adults diagnosed with documented type 2 diabetes (extrapolated to the German population: 6.6 million in 2006; 7.9 million in 2011; 8.86 million in 2016) were screened for severe hypoglycaemia. Anti-hyperglycaemic agents were identified by Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code.

RESULTS

The event rate for severe hypoglycaemia was 460 per 100 000 people in 2006, 490 per 100 000 in 2011 and 360 per 100 000 in 2016. The proportion of people with severe hypoglycaemia receiving sulfonylureas, as well as receiving combination therapy of metformin and sulfonylureas decreased from 2006 to 2016 (23.6% vs. 6.2%) Among those with severe hypoglycaemia in 2006, there were no prescriptions for dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists or sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) agonists. The proportions of people with severe hypoglycaemia receiving DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists or SGLT2 agonists in 2011 and 2016 were low. The proportion of people receiving human insulin also decreased (from 11.3% in 2006 to 10.3% in 2011 and 4.3% in 2016); the proportion of people receiving insulin analogues increased from 5.4% in 2006 to 11.5% in 2016. Therapy with mixed insulins was used by 19.7% of people with severe hypoglycaemia in 2006, by 14.0% in 2011 and by 7.3% in 2016. People undergoing therapy with insulin analogues have the highest risk of severe hypoglycaemia adjusted by age, gender, nephropathy diagnosis and year of survey [odds ratio (OR) 14.4, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 13.5-15.5].

CONCLUSION

The incidence of severe hypoglycaemic events in Germany increased between 2006 and 2011, and decreased in 2016.

Antidiabetic Therapy and Rate of Severe Hypoglycaemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease of Different Stages - A Follow-up Analysis of Health Insurance Data from Germany

BACKGROUND

The presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) influences the type of antiglycaemic therapy and the risk for hypoglycaemia.

METHODS

In 2006, 2011 and 2016 health insurance data of people with diabetes type 2 were screened for CKD and the presence of severe hypoglycaemia (sHypo). The type of antihyperglycaemic therapy was recorded due to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) codes up to 3 months before suffering sHypo.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CKD increased from 5.3% in 2006 to 7.3% in 2011 and 11.2% in 2016. Insulin-based therapies were used in 39.0, 39.1, and 37.9% of patients with, but only in 17.7, 17.4, and 18.8% of patients without CKD. Although the proportion of the CKD stages 1, 2 and 5 decreased, CKD stages 3 and 4 increased. The proportion of sHypo in CKD declined from 2006 (3.5%) to 2011 (3.0%) and 2016 (2.2%) but was still more than 10 times higher as compared to type 2 diabetic patients without CKD (0.3/0.2/0.2%) conferring a significantly higher probability of sHypo (OR 9.30, 95%CI 9.07-9.54) in CKD. The probability of sHypo was significantly lower in 2016 than in 2006 both in patients with (OR 0.58; CI 0.55-0.61) and without CKD (OR 0.70; CI 0.68-0.73).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of CKD increased from 2006 to 2016. Patients with CKD exhibited a 9-fold increased probability of sHypo, especially in patients treated with insulin plus oral anti-diabetic drugs. However, the rate and risk for sHypo decreased over time, probably as a consequence of new antidiabetic treatment options, better awareness of sHypo, and changed therapy goals.

Reduction of Severe Hypoglycaemia in People with Type 2 Diabetes after a Structured Inpatient Intervention

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess outcomes before and one year after participation in a structured inpatient intervention including participation in an education programme for people with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

In 2014, 81 individuals, who were admitted to optimise insulin therapy, participated in a structured inpatient intervention and were invited to participate in a follow-up visit after one year.

RESULTS

Seventy participants (46.9% female, age 68.3 y, diabetes duration 17.9 y, HbA1c 9.7%/82.5 mmol/mol) were followed-up after 1.2 y (3 died by non-diabetic causes, 8 declined/were not available). HbA1c decreased by 1.1% (p<0.001) without change of insulin dose (79.7 vs. 79.3 IU, n.s.) or BMI (33.6 vs. 33.8 kg/m², n.s.). 5 people admitted because of severe hypoglycaemia (one person with 5 episodes and 4 with one episode in the year prior to participation) did not experience another event in the evaluation period, nor did anyone in the rest of the cohort (frequency of severe hypoglycaemia 0.12 events/year before and 0.0 after intervention).

CONCLUSIONS

In people admitted for optimising insulin therapy or severe hypoglycaemia, metabolic control improved substantially and frequency of severe hypoglycaemia was significantly reduced after participation in a structured inpatient intervention. Reasons could be motivational and better adapted eating habits, tailoring individual therapy solutions and deescalating diabetes therapy in people after severe hypoglycaemia.

A Retrospective Time Trend Study Of Diabetes Overtreatment In Geriatric Patients

PURPOSE

We assessed changes in diabetes mellitus (DM) overtreatment prevalence in geriatric patients that had taken place after the introduction of the rule of therapy individualization in the Polish diabetes treatment guidelines.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This time-trend assessment comprised two retrospective cross-sectional cohort studies of type 2 DM patients admitted to a geriatric ward in 2009-2010 (1st round) and in 2014-2015 (2nd round). A high-risk group was defined as patients on antihyperglycemic medications prior to admission, who were 80+ years old, diagnosed with dementia, end-stage renal disease, or had a history of macrovascular complications. The primary outcome measure was glycosylated A_1C hemoglobin (HbA_1C) ≤7.0% (53 mmol/mol).

RESULTS

213 patients in the 1st round and 83 in the 2nd round were included. Groups did not differ in age, gender, health and functional characteristics. The percentage of dementia (36.1% versus 18.8%, P=0.002) and of the high-risk cases (79.3% versus 67.7%, P=0.05) was higher in the 2nd round of the study. During the study, tight glycemic control prevalence in the high-risk group decreased significantly from 73.1% to 58.5%, P=0.04 (odds ratio 0.68, 95% CI 0.47-0.97), and the median value of HbA_1c increased significantly from 6.4%, IQR 5.7-7.3 (46 mmol/mol, IQR 39-56) to 6.7%, IQR 6.1-7.9 (50 mmol/mol, IQR 43-63), P=0.03.

CONCLUSION

Despite the principle of individualization of DM therapy that was in force, after a five-year observation, the problem of DM overtreatment still concerned a large percentage of geriatric patients, although a positive trend was noted in this respect.

Premixed vs basal-bolus insulin regimen in Type 2 diabetes: comparison of clinical outcomes from randomized controlled trials and real-world data

AIM

To evaluate the concordance between data derived from randomized controlled trial (RCT) and real-world estimates of HbA_1c and weight change after 24 weeks of initiation of a basal-bolus compared with a premixed insulin regimen in people with Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Data eight RCTs were pooled after a systematic review of studies examining basal-bolus (n = 1893) or premixed (n = 1517) regimens. Real-world data were extracted from the UK primary care dataset for people on basal-bolus (n = 7483) or premixed insulin regimens (n=10 744). The mean differences between HbA_1c and weight from baseline were calculated using t-tests, while analysis of variance was used to compare the two treatment regimens. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of this change.

RESULTS

Both insulin regimens were associated with HbA_1c reductions (real-world data -0.28%; RCT data, -1.4%) and weight gain (real-world data, +0.27 kg; RCT data, +2.96 kg) but there were no significant differences between basal-bolus and premixed insulin. Discordances in the pattern of treatment response were observed, however, between real-world and RCT data for both insulin regimens. For any given baseline HbA_1c concentration, the change in HbA_1c in the RCTs was greater than in real-world conditions and for those with baseline weight above ~60 kg, RCT data showed overall weight gain in contrast to slight weight loss in the real-world population. Lastly, for both randomized controlled trial and real-world populations, while greater baseline weight was associated with reduced response to treatment, the association was much steeper in the RCT than in the real-world population. In addition, greater baseline weight was associated with greater weight reductions in both premixed insulin and basal-bolus insulin regimens, although to a lesser extent with the latter.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight specific discrepancies in the HbA_1c reduction and weight change in insulin regimen between real world versus RCT populations; with greater reduction in HbA_1c and greater increase in weight observed in the RCT population than in the real-world population. Also, the basal-bolus regimens in both real-world and RCT populations showed greater reduction in HbA_1c compared to the premix regimen (though more marked in RCTs), while the premix regimen showed greater increase in weight in real-world, as against basal-bolus in the RCT population.