Clinical effectiveness of Novolin® 30R versus Lantus® combined with Glucobay® treatment in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus controlled by oral hypoglycaemic agents: A randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment effects of Novolin® 30R(a), versus Lantus(®a) combined with acarbose (Glucobay®), in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS: Patients (aged > 60 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized to receive either Novolin® 30R(a) (initial dose 0.5 IU/kg) or Lantus(®a) (initial dose 0.2 IU/kg) combined with 50 mg acarbose. After a 32-week treatment period, the following parameters were measured: blood glucose control; blood lipid levels; body mass index; proportion of patients achieving a glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level <7.5%; rate of hypoglycaemic events; change in fasting blood glucose levels from baseline in patients stratified according to their baseline HbA1c level.

RESULTS: A total of 188 patients were enrolled in the study. After 32 weeks' treatment, compared with baseline levels, there were significant reductions in FBG, 2 h-postprandial blood glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test, HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values in both groups. Although there were fewer hypoglycaemic events in the Lantus® combined with Glucobay® group compared with the Novolin® 30R group, the difference was not significant.

CONCLUSION: Novolin® 30R and Lantus® combined with acarbose both had beneficial effects on blood glucose control and blood lipid levels in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.