Efficacy of insulin analogues in diabetic patients attending primary care centers

OBJECTIVES To measure the efficacy of new insulin analogues compared with the conventional types of insulin, and to compare their effects on patient satisfaction regarding their weight changes and the frequency of hypoglycemic episodes. METHODS In this retrospective cohort observational study, data was collected from the medical records of 122 eligible diabetics on insulin therapy attending government primary care centers, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from June 2013 to July 2014. The data collected considered the efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction of the types of insulin therapy used for their treatment. RESULTS After 12 weeks, there was a reduction in mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of -0.88% for the analogue type versus -0.19% for the conventional type, and at 24 weeks, the mean drop in HbA1c was -2.02% for the analogue type versus -1.12% for the conventional type, but the differences were not statistically significant. More patients (87% versus 38%) on analogue compared with conventional insulin treatment were satisfied with therapy. CONCLUSION In the primary health care setting, insulin analogues showed greater efficacy improvements than conventional insulin therapy within 6 months. However, conventional insulin therapy can still be used at primary care centers with limited resources, and when patients refuse to be converted.