Chronic reduction of fasting glycemia with insulin glargine improves first- and second-phase insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

Insulin secretion is often diminished in hyperglycemic patients with type 2 diabetes. We examined whether chronic basal insulin treatment with insulin glargine improves glucose-induced insulin secretion.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Fourteen patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin monotherapy received an add-on therapy with insulin glargine over 8 weeks. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs) were performed before and after the intervention, with and without previous adjustment of fasting glucose levels using a 3-h intravenous insulin infusion.

RESULTS

Fasting glycemia was lowered from 179.6 ± 7.5 to 117.6 ± 6.5 mg/dL (P < 0.001), and HbA(1c) levels declined from 8.4 ± 0.5 to 7.1 ± 0.2% (P = 0.0046). The final insulin dose was 59.3 ± 10.2 IU. Acute normalization of fasting glycemia by intravenous insulin reduced C-peptide levels during the IVGTT (P < 0.0001). In contrast, insulin and C-peptide responses to intravenous glucose administration were significantly greater after the glargine treatment period (P < 0.0001, respectively). Both first- and second-phase insulin secretion increased significantly after the glargine treatment period (P < 0.05, respectively). These improvements in insulin secretion were observed during both the experiments with and without acute adjustment of fasting glycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic supplementation of long-acting basal insulin improves glucose-induced insulin secretion in hyperglycemic patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas acute exogenous insulin administration reduces the β-cell response to glucose administration. These data provide a rationale for basal insulin treatment regiments to improve postprandial endogenous insulin secretion in hyperglycemic patients with type 2 diabetes.