The Effects of Combined Insulin and Metformin Therapy in Obese Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 in the Early Stage of the Disease

Abstract

Combination of insulin and metformin has been shown to improve glycaemic control in clinical trials, particularly in obese patients with diabetes type 2. Insulin therapy can improve function of pancreatic beta cells and periphery insulin activity in target cells in order to enhance glycaemic homeostasis (1, 2, 3). In our study we included obese patients with diabetes type 2 in the early stage of the disease. The study is partially retrospective and partially prospective. The study encompassed 40 patients split in two groups. The first group of 20 patientsreceived insulin therapy combined with metformin, while the patients of the second group were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs, sulfonylureas and metformin. Three months later, the group treated with insulin and metformin showed improvement in the monitored parameters, namely significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.003), MFBG (p = 0.0009), PPG (p = 0.028). Insulin therapy administered together with metformin, in obese patients with diabetes type 2, in the early stage of the disease, resulted in well regulated fasting blood glycaemia, as well as post challenge glycaemia and HbA1c.