Patient-led versus physician-led titration of insulin glargine in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes: a randomized multinational atlas study.

Objective: Self-adjustment of insulin dose is commonly practiced in Western patients with type 2 diabetes but is usually not performed in Asian patients. This multinational, 24-week, randomized study compared patient-led with physician-led titration of once-daily insulin glargine in Asian patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who were on 2 oral glucose-lowering agents. Methods: Patient-led (n = 275) or physician-led (n = 277) subjects followed the same dose-titration algorithm guided by self-monitored fasting blood glucose (FBG; target, 110 mg/dL [6.1 mmol/L]). The primary endpoint was change in mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) at week 24 in the patient-led versus physician-led titration groups. Results: Patient-led titration resulted in a significantly higher drop in HbA(1c) value at 24 weeks when compared with physician-led titration (-1.40% vs. -1.25%; mean difference, -0.15; 95% confidence interval, -0.29 to 0.00; P =.043). Mean decrease in FBG was greatest in the patientled group (-2.85 mmol/L vs. -2.48 mmol/L; P =.001). The improvements in HbA(1c) and FBG were consistent across countries, with similar improvements in treatment satisfaction in both groups. Mean daily insulin dose was higher in the patient-led group (28.9 units vs. 22.2 units; P<.001). Target HbA(1c) of <7.0% without severe hypoglycemia was achieved in 40.0% and 32.9% in the patient-led and physician-led groups, respectively (P =.086). Severe hypoglycemia was not different in the 2 groups (0.7%), with an increase in nocturnal and symptomatic hypoglycemia in the patient-led arm. Conclusion: Patient-led insulin glargine titration achieved near-target blood glucose levels in Asian patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who were on 2 oral glucose-lowering drugs, demonstrating that Asian patients can self-uptitrate insulin dose effectively when guided.