Hypoglycemia is a ubiquitous challenge with insulin treatment in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with nocturnal episodes of particular concern. Severe (as defined by the ADA) or blood glucose-confirmed (<56 mg/dL [3.1 mmol/L]) hypoglycemia was investigated across two double-blind, treat-to-target, randomized trials assessing the efficacy and safety of mealtime fast-acting insulin aspart (FA) vs. insulin aspart (IAsp) by multiple daily injections in adults with T1D: a 52-week trial in combination with insulin detemir (onset 1; n=761), and a 26-week trial in combination with insulin degludec (onset 8; n=684). FA was confirmed to be non-inferior to IAsp regarding change from baseline in A1C in both trials, with a statistically significantly greater A1C reduction with FA in onset 1. Importantly, nocturnal hypoglycemia rates were consistently lower with FA vs. IAsp in both trials (pooled estimated treatment rate ratio [ETR] 0.84 [95% CI 0.72;0.98]; p=0.02) (Figure), while no significant difference was observed for overall (pooled ETR 0.94 [95% CI: 0.85;1.05]) and diurnal hypoglycemia (pooled ETR 0.96 [95% 0.86;1.07])(Figure) with some heterogeneity across trials.
In summary, analysis across two large trials supports the safety of mealtime FA, with lower rates of nocturnal hypoglycemia with FA vs. IAsp.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01831765; NCT02500706.
C. De Block: None. A. Carlson: Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi, Insulet Corporation. Consultant; Self; Merck & Co., Inc.. Research Support; Self; Medtronic, Novo Nordisk A/S. L. Rose: Advisory Panel; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Consultant; Self; Member of Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. T. Gondolf: Employee; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Employee; Spouse/Partner; Chr. Hansen A/S. A. Gorst-Rasmussen: Employee; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. W. Lane: Advisory Panel; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Insulet Corporation, Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc., Sanofi. Research Support; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Eli Lilly and Company, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi, Dexcom, Inc.. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Insulet Corporation.