Endocrine Abstracts

Diabetes is a manageable but serious illness characterized by high blood sugar. In present study, comparison of treatment of metformin, insulin (biphasic isophane insulin) and insulin (biphasic isophane insulin)+metformin in the patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus with HbA1c>7% was performed. A total 45 patients of type 2 diabetes with HbA1c>7% were selected. The selected 45 patients were divided into three groups of 15 each. First group was treated with metformin (1000 mg), second group was treated with insulin (10 IU) and third group was treated with insulin (10 IU)+metformin (500 mg). In the present study an attempt has been made to find out correlation of insulin, metformin and insulin+metformin therapy with various parameters like, fasting blood glucose level, postprandial blood glucose level and HbA1c from the data of the patients under study. Duration of treatment was 3 months. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PP2BS) and HbA1c level were measured before treatment and after 3 months of each treatment course. Result of this study indicated that significant reduction in fasting and postprandial blood glucose level was observed in each treatment group. In all treatment groups, significant reduction in HbA1c level was also observed. Insulin+metformin therapy reduced HbA1c level below 7% while individual insulin and oral therapy (metformin) reduced HbA1c near 7%. It is concluded that insulin (biphasic isophane insulin)+metformin therapy is more effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with HbA1c>7%. This study provides scientific evidence that insulin therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes can be used as first assault rather than last resort.