Switching from premixed insulin to glargine-based insulin regimen improves glycaemic control in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes: a retrospective primary care-based analysis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients switching from premix to glargine

	Type 1 diabetes	Type 2 diabetes
n (%)	183 (35)	345 (65)
% male	53.0	53.0
Age (years)*	22.9 ± 15.5	55.8 ± 16.6
Weight (kg)*	67.7 ± 2.7	85.3 ± 2.2
Baseline HbA_1c *†	9.4 ± 1.6	9.3 ± 1.5
Duration of diabetes (years)‡	7.9 ± 8.7	8.1 ± 6.7
Number of co-morbidities§	2.5 ± 2.4	2.4 ± 1.9
Premix insulin only (%)	61%	48%
Premix insulin with OAD (%)	0%	38%
Premix + short acting insulin (%)	25%	16%
Premix + basal insulin (%)	8%	5%
Premix + short acting + basal insulin (%)	2%	3%
Premix + other insulin +/-OADs (%)	0%	2%
OADs per patient before starting insulin therapy*¶	-	0.4 ± 0.5
Hypoglycaemia episodes in 3 month period*\|\|
No. episodes	38	72
Mean no. episodes per patient	0.21	0.21

OAD = oral antidiabetic drug; HbA_1c = glycated haemoglobin. Data are mean ± SD unless indicated.
*Significant variables investigated in multivariate analysis.
†Data missing for 29 patients with type 1 diabetes and 27 patients with type 2 diabetes.
‡Data missing for 2 patients with type 1 diabetes and 5 patients with type 2 diabetes.
§Includes myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy.
¶Number of oral diabetic treatments (e.g. metformin, sulfonylureas) prescribed prior to commencing insulin.
||Hypoglycaemic episodes reported during the 3 month period prior to switch. Episodes reported in 27 patients with type 1 diabetes and 44 patients with type 2 diabetes.