Efficacy and safety of a premixed versus a basal-plus insulin regimen as intensification for type 2 diabetes by timing of the main meal

Premixed insulin: Advantages, disadvantages, and future

Premixed insulin combines two types of insulin in a single injection. This combination streamlines dosing for patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, thereby enhancing convenience. However, patients receiving premixed insulin commonly have less satisfactory blood glucose control. The fixed ratio of insulin in these formulations frequently fails to account for the nuanced demands of individualized glucose-lowering therapy. Moreover, local absorption of mixed insulin and potential systemic autoimmune responses may further compromise glycaemic control. The co-formulation of insulin degludec and insulin aspart introduces a new combination of the two insulin types within a single injection, offering a promising solution for mitigating the limitations inherent in premixed insulin.

Addition of a single short-acting insulin bolus to basal insulin-supported oral therapy: a systematic review of data on the basal-plus regimen

We summarize here clinical and trial data on a once-daily administration of a single bolus to the meal with the largest expected postprandial glucose excursion (basal-plus), and comment on its clinical utility in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. A PubMed search of data published until September 2018 was taken into consideration and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. Eighteen reports representing 15 studies were identified (age: 18-80 years; 50-890 patients; follow-up: 8 days to 60 weeks). Data suggest basal-plus is efficacious for improving glycemic control, with a low incidence of (severe) hypoglycemia and minor increases in bodyweight. The timing of short-acting insulin administration and use of different monitoring/titration approaches appear to have minimal impact. When compared with premixed insulin, basal-plus results in largely comparable outcomes. Compared with basal-bolus, it may result in non-inferior glycemic improvements with less weight gain, less hypoglycemia and fewer daily injections. A basal insulin/glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist fixed ratio combination may offer several advantages over the basal-plus regimen, at the cost of gastrointestinal side effects. We conclude that the stepwise introduction of short-acting insulin via the basal-plus strategy represents a viable alternative to a full basal-bolus regimen and may help to overcome barriers associated with multiple injections and anticipated complexity of the insulin regimen.