An Update on the Long-Acting Insulin Analogue Glargine

Association of Insulin Glargine Treatment with Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PURPOSE

To assess the association of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin glargine treatment with bone mineral density (BMD) in Chinese people.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 50 subjects with T2DM: 25 received oral glucose-lowering medication (ORL group), and 25 received oral glucose-lowering medication in combination with insulin glargine injection (CGI group). Thirty non-diabetic control subjects were also included. BMD was measured at lumbar vertebrae 1-4 (L1-L4), spine bone mineral density (sBMD) results summary (L2-L4), femoral neck and trochanter by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

Compared with non-diabetic controls, people with T2DM had significantly lower mean BMD at L2 (1.073±0.120 vs 0.984±0.158), L3 (1.094±0.129 vs 0.991±0.163) and L4 (1.089±0.130 vs 0.982±0.165) (all P<0.05), significantly lower levels of serum calcium (2.02±0.22 vs 2.27±0.17 mmol/L, P<0.05), PTH (24.19±9.71 vs 31.52±8.96 pg/mL, P<0.05), and higher serum phosphate levels (1.43±0.37 vs 1.20±0.15 mmol/L, P<0.05). The CGI group had higher L2, L3 and L4 BMD and sBMD (L2-L4) (P<0.05), higher serum calcium levels (2.19±0.11 vs 1.98±0.20 mmol/L, P<0.05) and lower serum phosphate levels (1.28±0.20 vs 1.58±0.43 mmol/L, P<0.05) versus the ORL group. BMD and serum calcium levels were associated with the application of insulin glargine.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that insulin glargine may affect bone metabolism in patients diagnosed with T2DM. The study has implications for the selection of hypoglycemic agents for diabetic patients at risk of osteoporosis.

Evaluation of therapeutics management patterns and glycemic control of pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus patients in Turkey: A nationwide cross-sectional study

AIMS

To evaluate the management strategies, glycemic control and complications of pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients in Turkey.

METHODS

Study included 498 patients with T1DM between the ages 1-18. Data provided from patients' hospital files were recorded on standard case report forms by applicant clinicians within the 3months of data collection period between October 2012 and July 2013.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 11.3±3.8years. Mean duration of DM was determined as 3.7±3.1years. Majority of patients (85.5%) used basal/bolus injection (BBI), and 6.5% used continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump. Assessment of glycemic control based on HbA1c levels showed that 29.1% of patients had an HbA1c value <7.5% (58mmol/mol), 16.1% had a value between 7.5% (58mmol/mol) and 8% (64mmol/mol), 19.1% had a value between 8.1% (64mmol/mol) and 9%(75mmol/mol) and 35.7% a value >9%(75mmol/mol). Hypoglycemia was reported in 145 (29.1%) patients and the number of severe hypoglycemic attacks in the last 3months was 1.0±2.4. Taking into consideration the carbohydrate count and insulin correction dose and parents with high socioeconomic status was related to have better glycemic control. The most common comorbidities were Hashimoto's thyroiditis/hypothyroidism (6.2%) followed by celiac disease (3.8%), epilepsy(1.2%), and asthma(1.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

BBI insulin therapy is widely used among pediatric T1DM patients in Turkey. However, despite improvements in treatment facilities and diabetic care, glycemic control is not at a satisfactory level. Therefore, new and comprehensive initiatives require for pediatric T1DM patients with poor glycemic control. Promoting use of carbohydrate count and insulin correction doses may improve the glycemic control of pediatric T1DM in Turkey.

Insulin therapy in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) requires lifelong administration of exogenous insulin. The primary goal of treatment of T1DM in children and adolescents is to maintain near-normoglycemia through intensive insulin therapy, avoid acute complications, and prevent long-term microvascular and macrovascular complications, while facilitating as close to a normal life as possible. Effective insulin therapy must, therefore, be provided on the basis of the needs, preferences, and resources of the individual and the family for optimal management of T1DM. To achieve target glycemic control, the best therapeutic option for patients with T1DM is basal-bolus therapy either with multiple daily injections (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). Many formulations of insulin are available to help simulate endogenous insulin secretion as closely as possible in an effort to eliminate the symptoms and complications of hyperglycemia, while minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia secondary to therapy. When using MDI, basal insulin requirements are given as an injection of long- or intermediate-acting insulin analogs, while meal-related glucose excursions are controlled with bolus injections of rapid-acting insulin analogs. Alternatively, CSII can be used, which provides a 24-h preselected but adjustable basal rate of rapid-acting insulin, along with patient-activated mealtime bolus doses, eliminating the need for periodic injections. Both MDI treatment and CSII therapy must be supported by comprehensive education that is appropriate for the individual needs of the patient and family before and after initiation. Current therapies still do not match the endogenous insulin profile of pancreatic β-cells, and all still pose risks of suboptimal control, hypoglycemia, and ketosis in children and adolescents. The safety and success of a prescribed insulin regimen is, therefore, dependent on self-monitoring of blood glucose and/or a continuous glucose monitoring system to avoid critical hypoglycemia and glucose variability. Regardless of the mode of insulin therapy, doses should be adapted on the basis of the daily pattern of blood glucose, through regular review and reassessment, and patient factors such as exercise and pubertal status. New therapy options such as sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy, which integrates CSII with a continuous glucose sensor, along with emerging therapies such as the artificial pancreas, will likely continue to improve safe insulin therapy in the near future.

Differences between long-acting insulins for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Most guidelines suggest that failure of oral antidiabetic drugs should be followed by the addition of a basal insulin with aggressive titration of the dose. In most countries, neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH)-insulin, glargine and detemir are the only choices. Clinical trials show that the metabolism and metabolic outcomes after treatment with intermediate- or long-acting insulins differ little. Despite this, the hypoglycaemic potential, effect on body weight and adherence to insulin treatment may affect the choice of basal insulin. Adherence seems to be negatively correlated to the prescribed dose and the number of injections. Furthermore, the choice of basal insulin might be influenced by the number of units necessary to achieve the goal for HbA1c.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

By searching the literature systematically, we identified all randomised clinical trials comparing long-acting insulins (human NPH-insulin and the analogues glargine and detemir) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes conducted over the last 10 years. We continued by reviewing only studies in which similar antihyperglycaemic potential of the treatments was achieved.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

According to the inclusion criteria for this review, all drugs were efficacious regarding the main purpose of decreasing glycaemia. For an equal efficacy, we were able to detect other differences between the treatments and, furthermore, an estimate on the number of units of insulin needed to achieve comparable glycaemic control.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

The analysis confirmed a favourable profile of both analogues regarding hypoglycaemia. For detemir, we additionally identified a favourable profile regarding weight gain and need for an increased number of units of insulin to achieve comparable glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) responses. We conclude that the efficacy of insulin treatment seems to vary little between the available products, however doses needed to achieve similar effects vary; units used per HbA1c reduction could be a relevant parameter for the choice of insulin.

[The significance of long acting insulin analogues in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus]

Between 5 and 10% of the European population suffers from diabetes, and its prevalence is constantly rising, in Austria like in other countries. The main goals in the treatment of diabetes mellitus are the prevention of complications and organ damage, the prevention of severe hypo- and hyperglycaemia and the preservation of quality of life. Many patients with type 2 diabetes become insulin-dependent in the course of their disease. The application of a long acting insulin or insulin analogue is the simplest way of initiating an insulin therapy and is in accordance with current guidelines. Current scientific evidence shows that the use of long acting insulin analogues for type 2 diabetes; which can no longer be sufficiently controlled with oral antidiabetic agents, is simple, safe and efficacious. Thus, this treatment option should be available without any restrictions to physicians and patients in order to facilitate the beginning of an insulin regime. This position paper summarises up the current evidence concerning this subject.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine and insulin detemir with NPH insulin in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus receiving intensive insulin therapy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine and detemir with NPH insulin in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

Thirty four children and adolescents with type 1 DM (mean age 12.7 ± 3.4 years, diabetes duration 5.4 ± 3.0 years) were included in the study. All patients had been receiving intensive insulin therapy with insulin aspart and NPH for at least 6 months before switching from NPH to insulin glargine (Group 1, n=19) or detemir (Group 2, n=15). The medical records obtained within 6 months before and after treatment with insulin glargine and detemir were retrospectively reviewed and the data were compared in each group.

RESULTS

The mean age and duration of DM were similar in two groups (p>0.05). In both groups, switching from NPH to insulin glargine or detemir, resulted in a reduction in HbA(1c) (p0.05, for both). Patients in the detemir treated group had less increment in body mass index (BMI) SDS at the end of 6 months of therapy compared to NPH and glargine treated patients (p>0.05, for both). No side effects were noted throughout the study.

CONCLUSION

Both insulin glargine and detemir improved HbA(1c) at short-term and proved to be safe and well tolerated in children and adolescents with type 1 DM.

A tandem mass spectrometric approach to the identification of O-glycosylated glargine glycoforms in active pharmaceutical ingredient expressed in Pichia pastoris

Glycoforms of glargine expressed in Pichia pastoris were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed by a series of chemical and mass spectrometric methods for the identification of various glycoforms, glycosylation position, nature and structure of glycans. Reduction and alkylation, peptide mapping techniques were used to decipher the amino acid site at which glycosylation had taken place. Chemical methods were coupled with mass spectrometry techniques such as electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization for identification of the glycosylation site.

Towards peakless, reproducible and long-acting insulins. An assessment of the basal analogues based on isoglycaemic clamp studies

While the advantages of the two basal insulin analogues, glargine and detemir, over neutral protamine Hagedorn are well established, the relative merit of the two compared with each other has been a matter of some controversy. The two analogues are popularly perceived to differ from each other in their pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles, in particular with regard to 'flatness' and duration of action. The aim of this review, therefore, is to give a complete overview on the available PD data of both analogues as derived with the glucose clamp technique. In order to improve parity across studies, a common definition for duration of action (time from injection to plasma glucose >8.3 mmol/l) was applied and study data were recalculated when necessary. Despite differences in methodological details, the results of most clamp studies were very consistent. Glargine and detemir both typically show a gentle rise and fall in glucose-lowering action over time. Duration of action with both analogues is dose dependent, but in the clinically relevant range of 0.35-0.8 U/kg it is close to 24 h in people with type 1 diabetes and in excess of this in people with type 2 diabetes. While both analogues seem to be very similar with regard to the mean shape of their PD profile and duration of action, detemir shows less within-subject variability in its metabolic effect. These findings in experimental glucose clamp studies are consistent with observations in clinical trials and support routine once daily use with either analogue, in particular in people with type 2 diabetes.

Normalization of the IGF-IGFBP axis by sustained nightly insulinization in type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

We sought to test the hypothesis that start of insulin glargine with sustained nightly insulin action results in changes in circulating concentrations of IGF-I and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes-changes that may support improvement of A1C.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Twelve pubertal adolescents with type 1 diabetes and initially on NPH insulin were studied during 12 weeks of intensified treatment with glargine.

RESULTS

Subnormal IGF-I SD scores on NPH (-1.8 +/- 0.4) rapidly increased and remained 54 +/- 9% elevated (P < 0.001) after 12 weeks on glargine. A1C decreased from 8.3 +/- 0.6% to a nadir of 6.9 +/- 0.3% (P = 0.002) at 6 weeks and correlated with changes in IGF-I (r = -0.64, P < 0.05). The increase in IGF-I did not suppress the mean overnight growth hormone (GH) secretion at 6 weeks. The mean overnight IGFBP-1 levels decreased (P = 0.035), supporting the hypothesis that the nightly hepatic insulin action was increased. Circulating IGF-I increased in the absence of changes in both GH secretion and GH receptor numbers (assessed by growth hormone binding protein), indicating that postreceptor mechanisms are involved. IGFBP-3 proteolysis was decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased hepatic insulin action after start of glargine was evident from a decrease in night time IGFBP-1 concentrations. This may improve GH postreceptor signaling, resulting in increased circulating IGF-I. We suggest that even in the absence of changes in GH, increased IGF-I and decreased IGFBP-1 support the improvement of metabolic control.