PURPOSE: People with insulin-treated diabetes often face strict regimens with inflexible dose timing, frequent injections, and frequent self-measured blood glucose (SMBG) testing. The objective of this study was to estimate the health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) impact of these aspects using time trade-off (TTO) methods. METHODS: HRQoL was examined via a TTO survey in the UK, Canada, and Sweden with separate analyses of 2465 respondents from the general population, 274 people with type 1 diabetes, and 417 people with type 2 diabetes. Respondents evaluated health states with diabetes, SMBG testing, and basal injections that were once-daily time flexible, once-daily at a fixed time, and twice-daily at a fixed time in a basal or basal-bolus regimen. RESULTS: Time-flexible basal injections were associated with 0.016 and 0.013 higher utility vs a fixed time of injection for basal-only and basal-bolus regimens, respectively, as evaluated by the general population. The diabetes respondents confirmed the basal-only results with 0.015 higher utility, but the difference in utility was non-significant for basal-bolus. Once-daily injections had higher utility compared with twice-daily injections for basal (0.039 and 0.042) and basal-bolus (0.022 and 0.021) regimens, as evaluated by the general population and people with diabetes, respectively. Increased frequency of SMBG negatively affected health utility. LIMITATIONS: This study has the limitation that it measures hypothetical health states rather than the HRQoL of people with these health states; furthermore, it could be suggested that the web-based nature of this survey is biased towards literate respondents with internet access and IT competence. CONCLUSIONS: Flexible dosing and fewer injections have a positive HRQoL impact, which potentially may enhance therapy adherence and could contribute to improved long-term outcomes. The impact of flexibility is greater in people treated with basal-only insulin regimens, and diminishes if bolus injections are part of the treatment regimen.
PURPOSE:People with insulin-treated diabetes often face strict regimens with inflexible dose timing, frequent injections, and frequent self-measured blood glucose (SMBG) testing. The objective of this study was to estimate the health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) impact of these aspects using time trade-off (TTO) methods. METHODS: HRQoL was examined via a TTO survey in the UK, Canada, and Sweden with separate analyses of 2465 respondents from the general population, 274 people with type 1 diabetes, and 417 people with type 2 diabetes. Respondents evaluated health states with diabetes, SMBG testing, and basal injections that were once-daily time flexible, once-daily at a fixed time, and twice-daily at a fixed time in a basal or basal-bolus regimen. RESULTS: Time-flexible basal injections were associated with 0.016 and 0.013 higher utility vs a fixed time of injection for basal-only and basal-bolus regimens, respectively, as evaluated by the general population. The diabetes respondents confirmed the basal-only results with 0.015 higher utility, but the difference in utility was non-significant for basal-bolus. Once-daily injections had higher utility compared with twice-daily injections for basal (0.039 and 0.042) and basal-bolus (0.022 and 0.021) regimens, as evaluated by the general population and people with diabetes, respectively. Increased frequency of SMBG negatively affected health utility. LIMITATIONS: This study has the limitation that it measures hypothetical health states rather than the HRQoL of people with these health states; furthermore, it could be suggested that the web-based nature of this survey is biased towards literate respondents with internet access and IT competence. CONCLUSIONS: Flexible dosing and fewer injections have a positive HRQoL impact, which potentially may enhance therapy adherence and could contribute to improved long-term outcomes. The impact of flexibility is greater in people treated with basal-only insulin regimens, and diminishes if bolus injections are part of the treatment regimen.
Authors: Martin Ridderstråle; Lyndon Marc Evans; Henrik Holm Jensen; Mette Bøgelund; Marie Markert Jensen; Åsa Ericsson; Johan Jendle Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2016-01-22 Impact factor: 3.186
Authors: Katie D Stewart; Joseph A Johnston; Louis S Matza; Sarah E Curtis; Henry A Havel; Stephanie A Sweetana; Heather L Gelhorn Journal: Patient Prefer Adherence Date: 2016-07-27 Impact factor: 2.711