Glycaemic variability in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with dulaglutide, with and without concomitant insulin: Post hoc analyses of randomized clinical trials

AIM: To investigate the association between treatment with dulaglutide and glycaemic variability (GV) in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Post hoc analyses of six randomized, phase 3 studies were conducted to investigate the association between treatment with dulaglutide 1.5 mg once weekly and GV in adult patients with T2D. Using data from seven‐ and eight‐point self‐monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) profiles over up to 28 weeks of treatment, GV in within‐ and between‐day SMPG, and between‐day fasting glucose from SMPG (FSMPG) was assessed according to standard deviation and coefficient of variation. RESULTS: Pooled data from five studies with dulaglutide as monotherapy or added to oral glucose‐lowering medication, without concomitant insulin treatment, revealed clinically meaningful reductions in within‐ and between‐day SMPG, and between‐day FSMPG variability from baseline in the dulaglutide group. Comparisons between treatment groups in two studies demonstrated that reductions from baseline in within‐day and between‐day SMPG, and between‐day FSMPG variability were greater for treatment with dulaglutide compared with insulin glargine, as well as for treatment with dulaglutide when added to insulin glargine compared with insulin glargine alone. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with T2D, treatment with dulaglutide as monotherapy or added to oral glucose‐lowering medication, without concomitant insulin treatment, was potentially associated with a reduction in GV. Treatment with dulaglutide was associated with a reduction in GV to a greater degree than insulin glargine. When added to insulin glargine, treatment with dulaglutide was associated with greater decreases in GV compared with insulin glargine alone. As reduced GV may be associated with better outcomes, these findings may have clinical relevance.