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AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The safety and efficacy of insulin-to-liraglutide switch in type 2 diabetes has not been studied adequately. Here, we retrospectively characterize clinical parameters that might predict insulin-to-liraglutide treatment switch without termination due to hyperglycemia, and examine the effects of switching the therapies on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and bodyweight in Japanese type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Japanese type 2 diabetes patients who underwent the switch of therapy were evaluated for their clinical data including ß-cell function-related indices, such as increment of serum C-peptide during glucagon stimulation test (GST-ΔCPR). HbA1c and bodyweight were analyzed in patients continuing with liraglutide after switching from insulin for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Of 147 patients, 28 failed in the switch due to hyperglycemia, nine failed because of other reasons and 110 continued with liraglutide for the 12-week period. Patients failing in the switch due to hyperglycemia showed longer duration and higher daily insulin dose, as well as lower GST-ΔCPR. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed that GST-ΔCPR of 1.34 ng/mL is a cut-off point for insulin-to-liraglutide switch without termination due to hyperglycemia. In patients continuing liraglutide for 12 weeks, the switch significantly reduced HbA1c and bodyweight with no severe hypoglycemia, irrespective of sulfonylurea co-administration, body mass index, duration and total daily insulin dose. The switch also significantly reduced the percentage of body fat and visceral fat areas. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin-to-liraglutide switch can improve glycemic control and reduce bodyweight in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients. However, caution must be taken with the switch in patients with reduced insulin secretory capacity as predicted by GST-ΔCPR.
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UNLABELLED: Aims/Introduction: The effectiveness of incretin-based therapies in Asian type 2 diabetes requires investigation of the secretion and metabolism of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypepide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Plasma extractions have been suggested to reduce variability in intact GLP-1 levels among individuals by removing interference that affects immunoassays, although no direct demonstration of this method has been reported. We have evaluated the effects of ethanol and solid-phase extractions on incretin immunoassays. We determined incretin levels during meal tolerance tests in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and characterized predictors for incretin secretion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (23 anti-diabetic drug-naïve and 18 treated with sulfonylurea [SU] alone) were subjected to meal tolerance tests, and incretin levels were determined by immunoassays with or without extraction. RESULTS: Intact GLP-1 levels determined by an intact GLP-1 immunoassay with ethanol and solid-phase extractions were lower than those determined without extraction. Intact GLP-1 levels determined by the extractions were highly correlated with each other, much more so than the levels with and without extraction. Total GLP-1 was unaffected by extractions, showing that extractions remove interference only in the case of intact GLP-1. Incretin secretion after meal ingestion was similar between drug-naïve and SU-treated patients. Fasting and postprandial GLP-1 levels were correlated positively with fasting free fatty acids and negatively with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 activity. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol and solid-phase extractions remove interference for intact GLP-1 immunoassay. SU showed little effect on incretin secretion. GLP-1 and GIP secretion were predicted by different factors. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2011.00141.x, 2012).