Purpose: The purpose of this study is to characterise how Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is treated in England and Wales and whether this adheres to 2009 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on management of T2DM.
Methods: Data for T2DM patients aged 18+ years prescribed at least one anti-diabetic drug between 01/01/2000-30/06/2012 were extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We examined the sequences in which anti-diabetic drugs were prescribed and, for patients on the most common anti-diabetic drug pathways, evaluated average HbA1c values at treatment initiation and at progression to a second or third-line anti-diabetic drug class, including insulin.
Results: The cohort included 123 671 patients, 56% males, 95% aged 40+ and 79% with at least one recorded HbA1c level. Metformin was the first prescription for 98 957 (80%) patients, with mean HbA1c of 8.68% prior to initiation (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.67, 8.69). A total of 19 890 (16%) patients received sulphonylureas first-line (mean HbA1c = 9.31%, 95%CI 9.27, 9.35). 1402 (12%) insulin users were prescribed insulin first-line (mean HbA1c = 9.89%, 95%CI 9.59, 10.19). A total of 96 895 (78%) patients were managed in line with one of the treatment pathways recommended by NICE. Patients prescribed insulin second-line after metformin had a mean HbA1c of 10.11% (95%CI 9.83, 10.38) prior to first prescription of insulin and 9.98% (95%CI 9.73, 10.23) at baseline. Both values were significantly higher than other groups initiating new treatment.
Conclusions: In over three-quarters of patients, anti-diabetic drugs are being prescribed per NICE guidance. When insulin is being used earlier than recommended, there appears to be a need for urgent and rapid glycaemic control. © 2016 Crown Copyright. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Keywords: anti-diabetic drug; insulin; pharmacoepidemiology; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
© 2016 Crown Copyright. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.