Effect of empagliflozin monotherapy on postprandial glucose and 24-hour glucose variability in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week study

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effect of empagliflozin on postprandial glucose (PPG) and 24-hour glucose variability in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Patients (N = 60; baseline mean [SD] HbA1c 7.91 [0.80]%; body mass index 24.3 [3.2] kg/m(2)) were randomized to receive empagliflozin 10 mg (n = 20), empagliflozin 25 mg (n = 19) or placebo (n = 21) once daily as monotherapy for 28 days. A meal tolerance test and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for 24 hours were performed at baseline and on days 1 and 28. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in area under the glucose concentration-time curve 3 hours after breakfast (AUC(1–4h) for PPG) at day 28. RESULTS: Adjusted mean (95%) differences versus placebo in changes from baseline in AUC(1-4h) for PPG at day 1 were −97.1 (−126.5, −67.8) mg · h/dl with empagliflozin 10 mg and −91.6 (−120.4, −62.8) mg · h/dl with empagliflozin 25 mg (both p < 0.001 versus placebo) and at day 28 were −85.5 (−126.0, −45.0) mg · h/dl with empagliflozin 10 mg and −104.9 (−144.8, −65.0) mg · h/dl with empagliflozin 25 mg (both p < 0.001 versus placebo). Adjusted mean (95% CI) differences versus placebo in change from baseline in 24-hour mean glucose (CGM) at day 1 were −20.8 (−27.0, −14.7) mg/dl with empagliflozin 10 mg and −23.9 (−30.0, −17.9) mg/dl with empagliflozin 25 mg (both p < 0.001 versus placebo) and at day 28 were −24.5 (−35.4, −13.6) mg/dl with empagliflozin 10 mg and −31.7 (−42.5,-20.9) mg/dl with empagliflozin 25 mg (both p < 0.001 versus placebo). Changes from baseline in mean amplitude of glucose excursions (MAGE; CGM) were not significantly different with either empagliflozin dose versus placebo at either timepoint. Curves of mean glucose (CGM) did not change between baseline and day 1 or 28 with placebo, but shifted downward with empagliflozin. Percentage of time with glucose ≥70 to <180 mg/dl increased from 52.0% at baseline to 77.0% at day 28 with empagliflozin 10 mg and from 55.0% to 81.1% with empagliflozin 25 mg, without increasing time spent with hypoglycemia. CONCLUSION: Empagliflozin for 28 days reduced PPG from the first day and improved daily blood glucose control in Japanese patients with T2DM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01947855 ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12933-014-0169-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.