Patient characteristics and 6-month dose of basal insulin associated with HbA1c achievement <7.0% in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes: results from the Observational Registry of Basal Insulin Treatment (ORBIT)

Background The efficacy of basal insulin (BI) for adequate glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been well documented by randomized clinical trials. This post hoc analysis of the Observational Registry of Basal Insulin Treatment (ORBIT) study was performed to explore the 6-month dose of BI used in insulin-naive T2DM patients achieving HbA1c target (<7%) and determine the patient characteristics that affect the 6-month dose of BI in the setting of real-world clinics in China. Methods This multicenter observational registry screened 19 894 adult T2DM patients with inadequately controlled hyperglycemia and treated with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) in China. Of these patients, 5191 who continued to receive BI after 6 months and achieved HbA1c target were analyzed. Patient characteristics including age, body weight, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), use of OADs, insulin (type and dose), and glycemic control were recorded at baseline and 6-month follow-ups. Results The 6-month dose of BI needed for effective glycemic control was 0.20 +/- 0.08 U/kg/day. High body mass index, high FPG, young age, longer duration of diabetes or OAD treatment, a greater number of OADs at baseline, and allocation to detemir and glargine were significant independent predictors for high dose of BI at 6 months. Conclusions This post hoc analysis of the ORBIT registry provides key information on the 6-month dose of BI needed for effective glycemic control in Chinese T2DM patients. Furthermore, it identified crucial patient characteristics that are significant determinants of the dose of BI in a real-world setting.