Effects of a combination of bedtime intermediate-acting insulin and glibenclamide in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with secondary failure to respond to oral hypoglycaemic agents.

The effect of a subcutaneous injection of an intermediate-acting insulin at bedtime combined with glibenclamide has been evaluated in 16 non-insulin-diabetic patients with secondary failure to respond to oral agents. The patients showed poor metabolic control (HbA1 greater than 11%) after two months on diet and glibenclamide treatment (15 mg.day-1). For 3 months the glibenclamide was continued together with an injection of an intermediate-acting insulin at bedtime in order to maintain fasting blood glucose under 120 mg.dl-1. A significant reduction in fasting blood glucose and HbA1 (15.50 vs 10.35%) and fructosamine (2.03 vs 1.69 mmol.l-1) was observed (230 to 141 mg.dl-1) at a mean insulin dose of 0.28 U.kg-1. The peak blood glucose after a standard test meal was also significantly improved (290 vs 203 mg.dl-1). Two months after the bedtime insulin injection had been withdrawn, only one patient was still being treated with oral agents alone. Except for another patient who dropped out, all the others had to be treated again with insulin because their fasting blood glucose exceeded 180 mg.dl-1. It is concluded that a single subcutaneous injection of an intermediate-acting insulin at bedtime combined with glibenclamide improved fasting and post-meal blood glucose concentrations in non-insulin-dependent patients resistant to diet and oral hypoglycaemic treatment. Almost all of the patients relapsed after insulin was withdrawn.