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Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of basal insulin glargine 100 units/ml (Gla) + 2‐3 oral antihyperglycaemic drugs (OADs) with twice‐daily premixed insulin aspart 70/30 (Asp30) + metformin (MET) after short‐term intensive insulin therapy in adults with type 2 diabetes in China. Materials and Methods: This open‐label trial enrolled insulin‐naïve adults with type 2 diabetes and an HbA1c of 7.5%‐11.0% (58‐97 mmol/mol) despite treatment with 2‐3 OADs. All participants stopped previous OADs except MET, then received short‐term intensive insulin therapy during the run‐in period, when those with a fasting plasma glucose of less than 7.0 mmol/L and 2‐hour postprandial glucose of less than 10.0 mmol/L were randomized to Gla + MET + a dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor or twice‐daily Asp30 + MET. If HbA1c was more than 7.0% (>53 mmol/mol) at week 12, participants in the Gla group were added repaglinide or acarbose, at the physician's discretion, and participants in the Asp30 group continued to titrate insulin dose. The change in HbA1c from baseline to week 24 was assessed in the per protocol (PP) population (primary endpoint). Results: There were 384 enrollees (192 each to Gla and Asp30); 367 were included in the PP analysis. The threshold for non‐inferiority of Gla + OADs versus Asp30 + MET was met, with a least squares mean change from baseline in HbA1c of –1.72% and –1.70% (–42.2 and –42.1 mmol/mol), respectively (estimated difference –0.01%; 95% CI –0.20%, 0.17% [–0.1 mmol/mol; 95% CI –2.2, 1.9]). Achievement of HbA1c less than 7.0% (<53 mmol/mol) was comparable between the groups (60% vs. 57%). The proportion of participants with any (24% vs. 38%; P =.003), symptomatic (19% vs. 31%; P =.007) or confirmed hypoglycaemia (18% vs. 33%; P <.001) was lower in the Gla + OADs group. Conclusions: Compared with Asp30 + MET, Gla + 2‐3 OADs showed similar efficacy but a lower hypoglycaemia risk in Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes who had undergone short‐term intensive insulin therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: BEYOND 7 demonstrated that a higher starting dose (0.3 U/kg) of insulin glargine 100 U/mL (Gla-100) is as safe as the standard starting dose (0.2 U/kg) in Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes who had uncontrolled hyperglycaemia despite receiving oral antihyperglycaemic drugs. This post hoc analysis determined the effect of baseline characteristics on hypoglycaemia risk in these individuals. Methods: Participants from BEYOND 7 were assessed based on their age at baseline (< 60 vs. ≥ 60 years), duration of diabetes (< 10 vs. ≥ 10 years), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c; < 9 vs. ≥ 9%) and fasting plasma glucose level (FPG; < 11 vs. ≥ 11 mmol/L). Endpoints included the proportion of participants with overall confirmed (≤ 3.9 mmol/L) and symptomatic hypoglycaemia, as well as the proportion of participants who achieved an HbA1c < 7% without hypoglycaemia, the time to first achievement of fasting blood glucose (FBG) < 7 mmol/L and the change in HbA1c from baseline between the two treatment arms in each of these subgroups. Results: The proportion of participants with overall confirmed (6.1–16.7%) or symptomatic hypoglycaemia (5.7–18.4%) or the proportion who achieved HbA1c < 7.0% without hypoglycaemia (23.6–47.4%) was similar between the two treatment arms in all subgroups, with the exception of participants with a baseline duration of diabetes ≥ 10 years who experienced more symptomatic hypoglycaemia if initiating Gla-100 at a dose of 0.3 versus 0.2 U/kg. Participants aged < 60 years with an HbA1c < 9% or ≥ 9% or a duration of diabetes of 2–10 years achieved an FBG < 7.0 mmol/L in a significantly shorter time with Gla-100 starting dose of 0.3 U/kg versus 0.2 U/kg (all p < 0.001). No significant differences were seen among the subgroups in terms of change from baseline in HbA1c. Conclusions: Baseline age, duration of diabetes, HbA1c level and FPG level do not affect the risk of hypoglycaemia with a higher starting dose of Gla-100 versus its standard starting dose. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02836704. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the safety of a higher starting dose of basal insulin in overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: This 16‐week, randomized, multicentre, open‐label trial enrolled adults with T2D (body mass index 25–40 kg/m2) and suboptimal glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.5–11.0% [58–97 mmol/mol] and fasting plasma glucose [FPG] >9.0 mmol/L) with two to three oral anti‐hyperglycaemic drugs at 51 centres in China. Patients were randomized (1:1) to a higher (0.3 U/kg) or standard (0.2 U/kg) starting dose of insulin glargine 100 U/mL, which was then titrated to achieve a self‐monitored fasting blood glucose (FBG) of 4.4 to 5.6 mmol/L. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with ≥1 episode of overall confirmed hypoglycaemia (≤3.9 mmol/L or severe). Results: At the end of study (n = 866), 11.0% patients treated with the 0.3 U/kg starting insulin dose experienced overall confirmed hypoglycaemia versus 8.6% of patients treated with 0.2 U/kg (estimated difference 2.1%, 95% confidence interval − 1.68, 5.89). The proportions of patients with symptomatic (9.8% vs 7.0%; P = 0.128) and nocturnal hypoglycaemia (2.7% vs 1.2%; P = 0.102) were similar in the two groups. There were no events of severe hypoglycaemia or FBG <3.0 mmol/L during the 16‐week treatment, and achievement of HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol) (37.1% vs 37.1%) or FPG <5.6 mmol/L (15.9% vs 16.3%), <6.1 mmol/L (27.6% vs 26.1%), or < 7.0 mmol/L (48.8% vs 48.3%) without hypoglycaemia were comparable in the two groups. Moreover, the mean time was shorter (4.53, 3.95 and 2.74 weeks vs 5.51, 5.21 and 3.64 weeks) and number of titrations was lower (3.5, 3.0 and 2.0 vs 4.3, 4.0 and 2.8) to achieve self‐monitored FBG targets of <5.6, <6.1 and <7.0 mmol/L in the higher versus the standard insulin dose group (all P < 0.01). Conclusions: Among overweight/obese patients with T2D, a higher insulin starting dose was as safe as the standard starting dose, and self‐monitored FBG targets were achieved earlier with the higher versus the standard dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]