Population profile and glycemic control following initiation or switch of injectable therapies in Tianjin, China: A real-world retrospective cohort study of adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Aims

To evaluate characteristics and glycemic outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes using injectable therapies in real-world clinical practice in Tianjin, China.

Materials and methods

Data from inpatients and outpatients receiving injectable therapies between January 2015 and December 2019 were collected from the Tianjin regional electronic medical records and retrospectively analyzed. Seven cohorts were identified, including individuals initiating injectable therapies (premixed insulin [n = 4,687], basal insulin [4,177], or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists [541]) or switching injectable therapies (premixed insulin to basal insulin [1,298], basal insulin to premixed insulin [1,457], basal insulin to basal + bolus insulin [1,772], or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists to basal insulin ± glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists [82]).

Results

In participants initiating therapy, glycated hemoglobin and fasting plasma glucose were highest in the basal insulin cohort, while among participants switching therapy, the highest values were in the basal insulin ± glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists cohort. Initiating therapy with premixed or basal insulin and switching from basal insulin to basal + bolus insulin improved glycemic control over 12 months. A mean delay in initiating therapy of up to 13 months after oral glucose-lowering drug failure was observed, with 60% having a delay of >6 months. This delay was associated with a lower proportion achieving glycemic control 3 months after initiation.

Conclusions

Effectiveness was not observed at all time points in all cohorts, suggesting some treatments were not used in the appropriate population. Delays in initiating injectable therapies were observed and were associated with poor glycemic control.