[Insulin-sulfonylurea combination therapy in secondary therapy failure with sulfonylurea compounds. Randomized study between evening and morning intermediary insulin administration using the Novo Pen semi-automatic insulin injector]

Abstract

In 28 type II diabetics with secondary failure of sulfonylurea treatment, the efficacy and safety of combined therapy with insulin and glibenclamide were investigated. Patients were randomized in two groups and treated for 16 weeks either with insulin Novo Protaphan HM Penfill (100 IU/ml "bed time") and 10 mg of glibenclamide in the morning (group A), or with insulin Novo Actraphan HM Penfill 100 IU/ml in the morning combined with two 5 mg doses of glibenclamide at lunchtime and in the evening (group B). Subsequently a dropout trial of sulfonylurea was performed in half of the patients. Mean blood glucose levels were lowered in the whole group of patients from 13.5 +/- 1.8 mmol/l to 8.8 +/- 2.3 mmol/l after 8 weeks and 8.7 +/- 1.8 mmol/l after 16 weeks, and the HbAlc from 10.1 +/- 1.2% to 8.4 +/- 1.0% and 7.8 +/- 1.0% respectively. After a glibenclamide dropout period of one or two weeks in 14 of the patients, the mean blood glucose level rose significantly by 2.8 +/- 2.6 mmol/l. Only 2 patients did not show this increase. The mean insulin consumption was 13 +/- 3 IU after 8 weeks and 14 +/- 5 IU after 16 weeks respectively, and the incidence of hypoglycemia one in 12 weeks of treatment. The combination of glibenclamide and insulin (administered with the Novo Pen injector) is a safe and effective form of therapy in secondary failure of sulfonylurea, and is well accepted due to the mild start into insulin therapy.