Favorable Glycemic Control with Once-Daily Insulin Degludec/Insulin Aspart after Changing from Basal Insulin in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results have been reported on the efficacy of insulin degludec/insulin aspart (IDegAsp) compared to basal insulin in type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effects of changing basal insulin to IDegAsp on glycemic control and sought to identify factors related to those effects.METHODS: In this retrospective study of patients from three referral hospitals, patients with type 2 diabetes using basal insulin with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels less than 11.0% were enrolled. Basal insulin was replaced with IDegAsp, and data were analyzed from 3 months before to 3 months after the replacement.RESULTS: Eighty patients were recruited (52.5% male; mean age, 67.0±9.8 years; mean duration of diabetes, 18.9±8.5 years; mean HbA1c, 8.7%±1.0%). HbA1c levels increased during 3 months of basal insulin use, but significantly decreased after changing to IDegAsp (8.28%±1.10%, P=0.0001). The reduction was significant at 6 months in 35 patients whose longer-term data were available. Patients with a measured fasting plasma glucose (m-FPG) lower than their predicted FPG (p-FPG) by regression from HbA1c showed a significant HbA1c reduction caused by the change to IDegAsp, even without a significantly increased insulin dose. However, patients whose m-FPG was higher than their p-FPG did not experience a significant HbA1c reduction, despite a significantly increased insulin dose. Furthermore, the HbA1c reduction caused by IDegAsp was significant in patients with low fasting C-peptide levels and high insulin doses.CONCLUSION: We observed a significant glucose-lowering effect by replacing basal insulin with IDegAsp, especially in patients with a lower m-FPG than p-FPG.

Comparison of Diagnostic Cytomorphology of Atypical Squamous Cells in Liquid-Based Preparations and Conventional Smears

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to compare the cytomorphologic features diagnostic of atypical squamous cells (ASC) in liquid-based preparations (LBPs) and conventional Pap (CP) smears and to cytomorphologically assess the performance of the Cell Scan 1500(TM) in cervical cytology practice. METHODS: Cervicovaginal smears were obtained from 938 women. Two smears were obtained simultaneously from each individual, one for an LBP and the other for a CP smear; the smears were independently examined. ASC was diagnosed in 24 patients, and their samples were cytomorphologically and semiquantitatively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 24 of the 938 women (2.6%) were diagnosed with ASC by one or both methods. Results from LBPs and CP smears were in agreement in 13 of 24 cases of ASC diagnosis (absolute direct agreement, 54.2%; k<0.20; p-value from chi-square test=0.085). Diagnostic features of ASC in the LBPs included squamous cell atypia and atypical squamous metaplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The cellular features diagnostic of ASC present in one preparation can manifest themselves differently in the other. Changes in individual cells, particularly nuclear changes, are the most reliable features for diagnosing ASC. The Cell Scan 1500(TM) processor is more effective at detecting ASC than are CP smears.