A Retrospective Observational Study of Insulin Glargine in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The majority of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects are on multiple oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) but as kidney dysfunction progresses, many of them become inappropriate. Basal insulin, such as glargine, is generally recommended as first-line insulin therapy by most guidelines. However, there is limited data on the safety and efficacy of the use of glargine in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine in T2 DM patients with Stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Material and methods This single-centered, retrospective, observational study evaluates the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine in DKD with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 60 and below. Nonpregnant T2DM patients with DKD receiving insulin glargine for 24 weeks and beyond were included for analysis. Data relating to anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, renal parameters, and glycemic control were analyzed. Sixty patients were in CKD Stage 3 (group A) and 35 patients were in CKD Stage 4 (group B). Glargine was started at an initial dose of 10 units daily as per the standard of care followed by the institute and up-titrated or down-titrated using a prespecified algorithm to maintain fasting plasma glucose between 90 mg/dl and 130 mg/dl. Results The study achieves (1.2%) (13.2 mmol/mol) of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) reduction in both groups (Group A and Group B) and a significant reduction in fasting and postprandial glucose values without a significant weight change over the study period. Out of 95 patients, 32 (33.68%) had documented hypoglycemia; out of them, 9 (28.2%) had severe hypoglycemia, and 8 (25%) had nocturnal hypoglycemia (either mild or severe). No change in weight, blood pressure, or eGFR was observed during the study period. Conclusions Treatment with glargine-based basal insulin therapy in diabetes with Stage 3 or Stage 4 CKD was efficacious in reducing glycemic parameters and was safe without significant changes in weight and hypoglycemia.