Addition of pioglitazone or bedtime insulin to maximal doses of sulfonylurea and metformin in type 2 diabetes patients with poor glucose control: a prospective, randomized trial

• Published in: The American journal of medicine Vol. 116; no. 4; pp. 230 - 235
• Main Authors: Aljabri, Khaled, Kozak, Sharon E, Thompson, David M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.02.2004; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Cholesterol - blood; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Clinical outcomes; Diabetes; diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; General aspects; Glycated Hemoglobin A - drug effects; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - administration & dosage; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Insulin; Insulin - administration & dosage; Insulin - therapeutic use; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Metformin - administration & dosage; Metformin - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; pioglitazone; Sulfonylurea Compounds - administration & dosage; Sulfonylurea Compounds - therapeutic use; thiazolidinediones; Thiazolidinediones - administration & dosage; Thiazolidinediones - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; thiazolidinediones; pioglitazone; diabetes mellitus; insulin; Endocrinopathy; Type 2 diabetes; Human; Maximal dose; Pioglitazone; Thiazolidinedione derivatives; Glucose; Insulin; Medicine; Prospective; Hypoglycemic agent; Regulation(control); Biguanides; Sulfonylureas; Clinical trial; Metformin
• ISSN: 0002-9343; 1555-7162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2003.07.023

To compare the efficacy of adding pioglitazone or bedtime isophane (NPH) insulin to maximal doses of metformin and an insulin secretagogue in patients with poor glucose control. We conducted a nonblinded, open-label, randomized controlled trial involving 62 patients with type 2 diabetes and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1C) levels >8.0%. Patients received either pioglitazone or bedtime NPH insulin in addition to their usual diabetes medication for 16 weeks. Outcome measurements of glycemic control, hypoglycemia, blood pressure, lipid levels, microalbuminuria, and quality of life were assessed at baseline and at 16 weeks. HbA 1C levels were lowered to a similar degree in each treatment arm (pioglitazone: –1.9% ± 1.5%; insulin: –2.3% ± 1.5%; P = 0.32), but hypoglycemia was less common among patients who received pioglitazone than those who received insulin (37% [11/30] vs. 68% [19/28], P = 0.02). Pioglitazone, but not insulin, resulted in an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. Both treatments had similar effects on weight, other lipid values, blood pressure, and urine microalbumin levels. Adding pioglitazone or bedtime insulin for 16 weeks improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients with secondary oral agent failure. Pioglitazone was associated with less hypoglycemia and improved HDL cholesterol levels.