Efficacy of liraglutide therapy in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients insufficiently controlled with basal-supported oral therapy.

UNLABELLED: (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2012.00223.x, 2012) Aims/Introduction:  We assessed the efficacy of liraglutide therapy in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients insufficiently controlled with basal-supported oral therapy (BOT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 37 patients who had postprandial hyperglycemia (≥10.0 mmol/L) with BOT (long-acting insulin plus glimepiride) with their insulin titrated enough to keep preprandial glycemia <7.2 mmol/L, and who had their treatment changed to liraglutide monotherapy, with the subsequent addition of glimepiride, when required. Those who achieved the glycemic target at all points (preprandial glycemia <7.2 mmol/L and postprandial glycemia <10.0 mmol/L) were regarded as responders and the efficacy of liraglutide therapy was assessed. We also explored the predictive clinical characteristics associated with its efficacy. RESULTS: Daily doses of insulin and glimepiride with BOT were 14 ± 9 units and 1.5 ± 0.9 mg, respectively. After the change to liraglutide therapy, 37% of the patients appeared to be responders to the therapy, whereas 12% had their glycemic control rather deteriorated. Efficacy of liraglutide therapy was significantly associated with baseline insulin dosage and post-breakfast glycemia with BOT. The C-statistic of the model was calculated to be 0.90. CONCLUSIONS: There were responders and non-responders to liraglutide therapy in Japanese BOT failures. It is likely that baseline insulin dosage and post-breakfast glycemia with BOT are clinically useful indicators for the efficacy of liraglutide therapy.