Less weight gain and hypoglycaemia with once-daily insulin detemir than NPH insulin in intensification of insulin therapy in overweight Type 2 diabetes patients: the PREDICTIVE BMI clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To assess weight change when once-daily insulin detemir (detemir) or neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin (NPH) are used in already overweight Type 2 diabetes patients requiring intensified insulin therapy.

Research design and methods: This 26-week randomized, controlled trial included adults with Type 2 diabetes [glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) 7.5-11.0%, body mass index (BMI) 25-40 kg/m(2)] who had received two daily doses of insulin (at least one a premix) for > or = 3 months. Subjects received either detemir (n = 125) or NPH (n = 146) once daily in the evening and insulin aspart at main meals. Concomitant treatment with metformin was allowed. Basal insulin was titrated to a pre-breakfast plasma glucose target of 6.1 mmol/l without unacceptable hypoglycaemia. Insulin aspart was also titrated (target, postprandial glucose < or = 10.0 mmol/l without unacceptable hypoglycaemia).

Results: At 26 weeks, weight had increased significantly less with detemir (0.4 kg) than with NPH (1.9 kg; difference 1.5 kg, P < 0.0001). BMI increase was also less with detemir than with NPH (difference 0.6 kg/m(2), P < 0.0001). HbA(1c) decreased from 8.9 to 7.8% (detemir) and from 8.8 to 7.8% (NPH; not significant for between-treatment difference). Incidence of hypoglycaemia was lower with detemir [relative risks 0.62 (all events) and 0.43 (nocturnal); P < 0.0001 for both].

Conclusions: PREDICTIVE BMI was the first study to examine the effect of once-daily detemir with weight as the primary endpoint in a large population of overweight Type 2 diabetes patients. Use of once-daily detemir for intensification of insulin therapy resulted in less weight gain, less hypoglycaemia and equivalent glycaemic control compared with NPH.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00504673.