Performance and patients' satisfaction with the A7+TouchCare insulin patch pump system: A randomized controlled non-inferiority study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the performance and patient satisfaction of a new insulin patch pump, the A7+TouchCare (Medtrum), compared with the Omnipod system. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled study enrolled 100 adult patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus (A1C ≥ 6.5% and ≤ 9.5%, i.e., 48 to 80 mmol/mol) who were assigned with the Omnipod or with the A7+TouchCare pump for 3 months. The primary study outcome was the glucose management indicator (GMI) calculated with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). RESULTS: Premature withdrawals occurs respectively in 2 and 9 participants in the Omnipod and TouchCare groups. In the Per Protocol analysis, the difference in GMI between groups was 0.002% (95% confidence interval -0.251; 0.255). The non-inferiority was demonstrated since the difference between treatments did not overlap the pre-defined non-inferiority margin (0.4%). There was no significant difference in CGM parameters between groups. On average, patients in both groups were satisfied/very satisfied with the insulin pump system. Patients preferred Omnipod as an insulin management system and especially the patch delivery system but preferred the A7+TouchCare personal diabetes manager to control the system. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the A7+TouchCare insulin pump was as efficient as the Omnipod pump in terms of performance and satisfaction. CLINICAL TRAIL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov protocol register (NCT04223973).

An Unsafe/Safe Typology in People with Type 2 Diabetes: Bridging Patients' Expectations, Personality Traits, Medication Adherence, and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Support programs are provided to people with diabetes to help them manage their disease. However, adherence to and persistence in support programs are often low, making it difficult to demonstrate their effectiveness. Aim: To identify the determinants of patients' perceived interest in diabetes support programs because it may be a powerful determinant of effective participation in such programs. Patients and Methods: An online study conducted in April 2021 in metropolitan France on 600 people with diabetes recruited from a consumer panel. A 64-item psychosocial questionnaire including a question asking to evaluate the helpfulness of a support program was used. Univariate, multivariate, and multiple correspondence analyses were performed. Results: The existence of a typology, known as Unsafe/Safe, was discovered, in which patients with type 2 diabetes respond in two distinct ways. Type U (unsafe) patients, who believe that a support program would be helpful, are more likely to be nonadherent to their treatment, have high hemoglobin A1c levels, have at least one diabetic complication, lack information regarding their disease and treatment, rate the burden of their disease and impairment of their quality of life as high, worry about their future, and are pessimistic. Type S (safe) patients have the opposite characteristics. Type U patients can be dichotomized into two broad classes: one in which they lack information regarding disease and treatment and the other in which alterations in the quality of life and burden of the disease predominate. Insulin-treated patients give more importance to the lack of information, whereas noninsulin-treated patients complain primarily about the burden of the disease and impairment of quality of life. Conclusion: This study describes this new U/S typology, proposes a simple method based on a nine-item questionnaire to identify type U patients by calculating a Program Helpfulness Score described herein, and clarifies the nature of the intervention to be provided to them. This novel approach could be applied to other chronic diseases.

Metformin use is associated with a reduced risk of mortality in patients with diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19.

AIMS: Metformin exerts anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. We addressed the impact of prior metformin use on prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19. METHODS: CORONADO is a nationwide observational study that included patients with diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19 between March 10 and April 10, 2020 in 68 French centres. The primary outcome combined tracheal intubation and/or death within 7 days of admission. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was reported for death up to day 28. The association between metformin use and outcomes was then estimated in a logistic regression analysis after applying a propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting approach. RESULTS: Among the 2449 patients included, 1496 were metformin users and 953 were not. Compared with non-users, metformin users were younger with a lower prevalence of diabetic complications, but had more severe features of COVID-19 on admission. The primary endpoint occurred in 28.0% of metformin users (vs 29.0% in non-users, P = 0.6134) on day 7 and in 32.6% (vs 38.7%, P = 0.0023) on day 28. The mortality rate was lower in metformin users on day 7 (8.2 vs 16.1%, P < 0.0001) and on day 28 (16.0 vs 28.6%, P < 0.0001). After propensity score weighting was applied, the odds ratios for primary outcome and death (OR [95%CI], metformin users vs non-users) were 0.838 [0.649-1.082] and 0.688 [0.470-1.007] on day 7, then 0.783 [0.615-0.996] and 0.710 [0.537-0.938] on day 28, respectively. CONCLUSION: Metformin use appeared to be associated with a lower risk of death in patients with diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19.

Association between sleep disturbances, fear of hypoglycemia and psychological well-being in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus, data from cross-sectional VARDIA study.

AIM: To assess the relationship between sleep quality, fear of hypoglycemia, glycemic variability and psychological well-being in type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Our data were provided by the VARDIA Study, a multicentric cross-sectional study conducted between June and December 2015. Sleep characteristics were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Fear of hypoglycemia and psychological well-being were measured with the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey version II (HFS-II) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Glycemic variability (GV) was determined using the CV of three 7-point self-monitoring blood glucose profiles and the mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE). RESULTS: 315 patients were eligible for PSQI questionnaire analysis: 54% women, mean age 47 ± 15, mean diabetes duration of 24 ± 13 years, HbA1c of 7.6 ± 0.9% (60 ± 7,5mmol/mol). Average PSQI score was 6.0 ± 3.3 and 59.8% of the patients had a PSQI score > 5. HFS-II score and HADS were significantly higher among "poor" sleepers (p < 0.0001) and PSQI score was positively associated with HADS (ß = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.08;0.35). GV evaluated by CV or MAGE did not differ between "poor" and "good" sleepers (p = 0.28 and 0.54, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adult patients with type 1 diabetes have sleep disturbances which correlate with psychological well-being. This study suggests that psychological management can be a target to improve sleep quality in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Efficacy and Safety of Switching Patients Inadequately Controlled on Basal Insulin to Insulin Glargine 300 U/mL: The TRANSITION 2 Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine, in close to real-life conditions, the efficacy and safety of switching from any basal insulin to insulin glargine 300 U/mL (Gla-300) in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: This was an interventional, multicenter, single-arm, prospective study with a 24-week treatment phase. Adult patients with T2D treated with basal insulin with or without other antidiabetics, HbA1c > 7.5%, and fasting self-monitored blood glucose (F-SMBG) > 130 mg/dL (mean of three measures) at baseline were included. Insulin dose was titrated to reach F-SMBG 90-130 mg/dL. Efficacy and safety were assessed at 12 weeks (W12) and 24 weeks (W24). The main outcome parameter was HbA1c change between baseline and W24. Safety parameters included self-reported hypoglycemia (any type). Patients' satisfaction with the treatment was assessed by the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ). RESULTS: A total of 140 patients were included and 137 were treated. Mean HbA1c decreased from 8.64% at baseline to 8.14% at W12 (mean difference [95% CI] - 0.51% [- 0.64; - 0.38]) and 8.01% at W24 (- 0.64% [- 0.81; - 0.46]). Target F-SMBG was reached in 35.0% of the patients at W12 and 38.4% at W24. The percentages of patients reaching HbA1c levels < 7.0%, < 7.5%, and < 8.0% at W24 were 11.4%, 29.5%, and 50.8%, respectively, while only 31.6% had an HbA1c value < 8.0% at baseline. HbA1c reduction was greater in patients with higher baseline levels. During the treatment phase, 46.0% of the participants had at least one hypoglycemia event; 31.4% documented symptomatic hypoglycemia, 2.2% severe hypoglycemia, and 12.2% nocturnal hypoglycemia. Treatment satisfaction increased by 20% between baseline and W24. CONCLUSION: These data, derived from close to real-life practice in France, confirm the reassuring results of randomized trials on the efficacy and safety of Gla-300. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT number 2015-002416-33.

No association between fear of hypoglycemia and blood glucose variability in type 1 diabetes: The cross-sectional VARDIA study.

AIMS: In type 1 diabetes (T1D), treatment efficacy is limited by the unpredictability of blood glucose results and glycemic variability (GV). Fear of Hypoglycemia (FOH) remains a major brake for insulin treatment optimization. We aimed to assess the association of GV with FOH in participants with T1D in an observational cross-sectional study performed in 9 French Diabetes Centres (NCT02790060). METHODS: Participants were T1D for ≥5 years, aged 18-75 years, on stable insulin therapy for ≥3 months. The coefficient of variation (CV) of blood glucose and mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) were used to assess GV from 7-point self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). FOH was assessed using the validated French version of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey-II (HFS-II) questionnaire. RESULTS: Among a total of 570 recruited participants, 298 were suitable for analysis: 46% women, 58% on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [CSII], mean age 49 ±â€¯16 years, HbA1c 7.5 ±â€¯0.9%, HFS-II score 67 ±â€¯18 and 12% with recent history of severe hypoglycemia during the previous 6 months, mean CV 39.8 ±â€¯9.7% and MAGE 119 ±â€¯42 mg/dL. CV and MAGE did not significantly correlate with HFS-II score (R = -0.05;P = 0.457 and R = 0.08;P = 0.170). Participants with severe hypoglycemia in the previous 6 months had higher HFS scores. Participants with higher HFS scores presented more hypoglycemias during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: FOH as determined using the HFS-II questionnaire was not associated with 7-point SMBG variability in participants with T1D, but was associated with a positive history of severe hypoglycemia. Higher FOH was associated with higher frequency of hypoglycemia during follow-up.

Efficacy and Safety of IDegLira Versus Basal-Bolus Insulin Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Uncontrolled on Metformin and Basal Insulin: The DUAL VII Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes on basal insulin, prandial insulin may be initiated. We assessed the efficacy and safety of initiating insulin degludec/liraglutide fixed-ratio combination (IDegLira) versus basal-bolus insulin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A phase 3b trial examined patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes on insulin glargine (IGlar U100) 20-50 units/day and metformin, randomized to IDegLira or IGlar U100 and insulin aspart ≤4 times per day. RESULTS: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased from 8.2% (66 mmol/mol) to 6.7% (50 mmol/mol) with IDegLira and from 8.2% (67 mmol/mol) to 6.7% (50 mmol/mol) with basal-bolus (estimated treatment difference [ETD] -0.02% [95% CI -0.16, 0.12]; -0.2 mmol/mol [95% CI -1.7, 1.3]), confirming IDegLira noninferiority versus basal-bolus (P < 0.0001). The number of severe or blood glucose-confirmed symptomatic hypoglycemia events was lower with IDegLira versus basal-bolus (risk ratio 0.39 [95% CI 0.29, 0.51]; rate ratio 0.11 [95% CI 0.08, 0.17]). Body weight decreased with IDegLira and increased with basal-bolus (ETD -3.6 kg [95% CI -4.2, -2.9]). Fasting plasma glucose reductions were similar; lunch, dinner, and bedtime self-monitored plasma glucose measurements were significantly lower with basal-bolus. Sixty-six percent of patients on IDegLira vs. 67.0% on basal-bolus achieved HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol). Total daily insulin dose was lower with IDegLira (40 units) than basal-bolus (84 units total; 52 units basal). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes on IGlar U100 and metformin, IDegLira treatment elicited HbA1c reductions comparable to basal-bolus, with statistically superior lower hypoglycemia rates and weight loss versus weight gain.

[Determinants of the cost of initiation of insulin therapy type 2 diabetic patients in France: possible approaches to optimization]. / Déterminants des coûts du passage à l’insuline en France chez le patient diabétique de type 2 : quelles pistes d’optimisation ?

Increased costs cannot be exclusively attributed to the consequences of insulin prescription. Any initiative designed to accelerate acquisition of patient autonomy would be likely to reduce the costs observed after switching to insulin, provided this initiative is adapted to the patient’s health profile, diabetes history and available medical resources..

Use of insulin degludec, a new basal insulin with an ultra-long duration of action, in basal-bolus therapy in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Insulin degludec is a new basal insulin analogue with an ultra-long duration of action that provides a flat and stable action profile with a duration of action greater than 42 hours. Two clinical trials comparing insulin degludec and insulin glargine in basal-bolus therapy have recently been published. Both were 52-week, multicentre, randomised (3:1), treat-to-target trials in patients already using insulin. In both type 1 (n=629) and type 2 diabetes (n=1006), insulin degludec was non-inferior to insulin glargine with respect to reduction in HbA1c at 52 weeks. There were also no significant differences between treatment groups with respect to fasting plasma glucose. At similar levels of glycaemic control, however, insulin degludec was associated with lower rates of hypoglycaemia than insulin glargine. In type 1 diabetes, overall confirmed hypoglycaemia (plasma glucose concentration<3.1 mmol/L or severe episodes requiring assistance) was similar in the two treatment groups, but nocturnal confirmed hypoglycaemia (occurring from 00h01 to 05h59) was 25% lower with insulin degludec (P=0.021). In type 2 diabetes, overall confirmed hypoglycaemia was 18% lower (P=0.0359) and nocturnal confirmed hypoglycaemia was 25% lower (P=0.0399) with insulin degludec. Reductions in hypoglycaemia could reduce physicians' and patients' fears and encourage them to titrate insulin more aggressively, and to adhere more closely to treatment, with consequent better glycaemic control. The results of these trials suggest that insulin degludec has a place in the French clinical setting in basal-bolus therapy in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

A new-generation ultra-long-acting basal insulin with a bolus boost compared with insulin glargine in insulin-naive people with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin degludec/insulin aspart (IDegAsp) is a soluble coformulation of the novel basal analog insulin degludec (IDeg: 70%) and insulin aspart (IAsp: 30%). We compared the safety and efficacy of IDegAsp, an alternative formulation (AF) (55% IDeg and 45% IAsp), and insulin glargine (IGlar) in insulin-naïve subjects with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with oral antidiabetic drugs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this 16-week, open-label trial, subjects (mean age 59.1 years, A1C 8.5%, BMI 30.3 kg/m(2)) were randomized to once-daily IDegAsp (n = 59), AF (n = 59), or IGlar (n = 60), all in combination with metformin. Insulin was administered before the evening meal and dose-titrated to a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) target of 4.0-6.0 mmol/L. RESULTS: After 16 weeks, mean A1C decreased in all groups to comparable levels (IDegAsp: 7.0%; AF: 7.2%; IGlar: 7.1%). A similar proportion of subjects achieved A1C <7.0% without confirmed hypoglycemia in the last 4 weeks of treatment (IDegAsp: 51%; AF: 47%; IGlar: 50%). Mean 2-h postdinner plasma glucose increase was lower for IDegAsp (0.13 mmol/L) and AF (0.24 mmol/L) than IGlar (1.63 mmol/L), whereas mean FPG was similar (IDegAsp: 6.8 mmol/L; AF: 7.4 mmol/L; IGlar: 7.0 mmol/L). Hypoglycemia rates were lower for IDegAsp and IGlar than AF (1.2, 0.7, and 2.4 events/patient year). Nocturnal hypoglycemic events occurred rarely for IDegAsp (1 event) and IGlar (3 events) compared with AF (27 events). CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept trial, once-daily IDegAsp was safe, well tolerated, and provided comparable overall glycemic control to IGlar at similar low rates of hypoglycemia, but better postdinner plasma glucose control.