A retrospective comparison between intensive and nonintensive insulin regimens in type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: This study compared the outcomes between intensive and nonintensive insulin regimens and assessed the predictive factors for failing to achieve the glycated hemoglobin (A1C) goals in type-2-diabetes-mellitus (T2DM) patients requiring insulin therapy. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective assessment of the medical records of 125 T2DM patients undergoing intensive (46 patients) and nonintensive insulin therapy (79 patients) were conducted. RESULTS: No significant differences were found when the intensive and nonintensive insulin therapy groups were compared in terms of the percentage decreases of glucose and A1C levels. The mean A1C levels of the nonintensive and intensive groups declined from 11.15% and 11.30% to 7.97% and 8.06%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both intensive and nonintensive insulin therapies improved the baseline glycemic parameters but being overweight or obese and/or being reluctant to dietary recommendations led to treatment failures regardless of the insulin regimen.