Cross-sectional survey in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to understand mealtime insulin unmet needs in Japan: The MINUTES-J study

Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate existing burden and unmet needs related to mealtime insulin (MTI) injection timing among adult Japanese patients with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes. It also aimed to evaluate if a novel MTI could reduce this burden. Methods: This study comprised of a qualitative pilot study facilitating development of an online survey; followed by an online quantitative survey involving T1D, young T2D (yT2D) and elderly T2D (eT2D) patients to assess burden of current MTI timings in Japan. Results: Overall, 38% patients (amongst T1D, yT2D and eT2D groups) reported injecting MTI just before start or during meal in the past month. Experiencing lower glucose level/hypoglycemic condition before the meal and forgetting were the main reasons for injecting during/after meal in T1D and T2D patients respectively. Patients reported moderate-to-severe burden in multiple aspects of their lives, associated with current MTI timing. Most patients perceived that this burden would remain the same if a faster acting MTI was available. Conclusions: Substantial burden reported by Japanese patients regarding the current MTI timings suggests the need for new MTI products that could achieve optimal postprandial glucose control at different timings to meet patients' needs in Japan. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.