Objective: Compare the efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy with multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Research design and methods: A total of 132 CSII-naive type 2 diabetic patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to CSII (using insulin aspart) or MDI therapy (bolus insulin aspart and basal NPH insulin) in a multicenter, open-label, randomized, parallel-group, 24-week study. Efficacy was assessed with HbA(1c) and eight-point blood glucose (BG) profiles. Treatment satisfaction was determined with a self-administered questionnaire. Safety assessments included adverse events, hypoglycemic episodes, laboratory values, and physical examination findings.
Results: HbA(1c) values decreased similarly for both groups from baseline (8.2 +/- 1.37% for CSII, 8.0 +/- 1.08% for MDI) to end of study (7.6 +/- 1.22% for CSII, 7.5 +/- 1.22% for MDI). The CSII group showed a trend toward lower eight-point BG values at most time points (only significant 90 min after breakfast; 167 +/- 48 vs. 192 +/- 65 mg/dl for CSII and MDI, respectively; P = 0.019). A total of 93% of CSII-treated subjects preferred the pump to their previous injectable insulin regimen for reasons of convenience, flexibility, ease of use, and overall preference. Safety assessments were comparable for both treatment groups.
Conclusions: Insulin aspart in CSII therapy provided efficacy and safety comparable to MDI therapy for type 2 diabetes. Patients with type 2 diabetes can be trained as outpatients to use CSII and prefer CSII to injections, indicating that pump therapy should be considered when initiating intensive insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes.