Duration of diabetes and effectiveness of insulin in the management of insulin-naïve Korean patients uncontrolled on oral antidiabetic drugs: a sub-analysis of the MOdaliTy of Insulin treatment eValuation (MOTIV) registry results.

To investigate whether duration of diabetes has an impact on the effectiveness of insulinization in diabetes management. This open-label, noninterventional, observational registry was conducted at >500 centers in Korea. Patients with diabetes, on oral antidiabetic drugs, with HbA1c ≥7 % (53 mmol/mol) in the preceding 3 months, being considered for initiation of basal insulin by their physicians, were included. Data were collected at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Of 6,616 patients evaluated, 62.5 % had diabetes for <10 years, while only 6.5 % patients had diabetes for ≥20 years. At the end of study, average HbA1c in patients with diabetes for <10 years, for 10 to <20 years, and for ≥20 years was 7.3 ± 1.0 % (56 ± 10.9 mmol/mol), 7.4 ± 1.0 % (57 ± 10.9 mmol/mol), and 7.6 ± 1.1 % (60 ± 12.0 mmol/mol), respectively. Over half the patients (50.7 %) with diabetes <10 years achieved HbA1c <7 % (53 mmol/mol) by the end of study, while only 42.1 and 35.1 % patients with diabetes for 10 to <20 and ≥20 years, respectively, achieved their target. The average insulin dosage required for per unit HbA1c reduction was significantly different among the groups according to duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). Among patients who achieved HbA1c <7 %, proportion of patients with hypoglycemia in the ≥20 years group was higher than that in the <10 years, 10 to <20 years groups. Early insulin administration provided a better glycemic control with less insulin dosage and lower frequency of hypoglycemic events. Thus, early insulinization might hold the key to better management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.