Diabetes impacts multiple systems within the body, and achievement and maintenance of glycemic goals are important in preventing or at least delaying the development and progression of diabetes-associated complications (11). To effectively treat type 2 diabetes, treatment intesification is often required using combinations of medications that address one or the more of the many pathologic processes associated with the disease (4, 5, 12). The fixed-ratio combination therapy is appropriate for patients who are already taking either a basal insulin or a GLP-1 RA but still show insufficient glycemic control (13). Specific patients who may particularly benefit from such a therapy include those who want to avoid the multiple injections required with prandial insulin in an insulin intensification regimen, as well as the frequent blood glucose testing needed to adjust prandial doses and lessen the risk of hyper/hypoglycemia (4, 5, 12, 13). Combination therapy using the complementary mechanisms of action of basal insulin and GLP-1 RA targets seven of the many pathophysiologic defects in type 2 diabetes, adressing both FPG and PPG (5, 8, 12). No head-to-head comparison has been done with fixed-ratio combination and therefore it is not possible to make recommendations between the two for glycemic control alone (13–15).
With a mean diabetes duration od 10 years, mean BMI of 30 kg/m2 and already on two glucose lowering agens, population of this study represents a group of patients that is challenging to treat successfully in the clinical setting. These patients need more than one glucose-lowering drugs to maintain glycemic control.
Our results had showed higher proportions of patients with iDegLira reaching the HbA1c < 7% and greater reductions in HbA1c. Other studies had showed higher reduction HbA1c than our results (15, 16). A systematic review and meta-analysis of trials indirectly compared iGlarLixi and iDegLira and showed the mean change in HbA1c was 1.50% after iGlarLixi treatment and 1.89% after iDegLira treatment. Evans et al showed in indirect comparison the mean reduction in HbA1c was 0.44% greater with IDegLira compared to iGlarLixi, and a greater proportion of patients reached HbA1c < 7.0%. The results of this indirect treatment comparison demonstrate that, among patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled on basal insulin, treatment with IDegLira resulted in a greater reduction of HbA1c and higher odds of reaching HbA1c < 7% compared with iGlarLixi (14). Other meta analises showed similar results (11, 15, 16). We didn't find difference between iDegLira and iGlarLixi for change in FPG. Groups with iGlarLixi had more decrease PPG. Other meta analyses had showed favour od iDegLira for change in FPG, but iGlarLixi for PPG. IGlarLixi contain short acting GLP-1 RA with a predominant PPG lowering effect (5, 6, 16–18).
These better glycemic control did not associated with higher rate of hypoglycemia. We did not found significant difference in hypoglycemic episodes between groups. Hypoglycemia episode were reduced in both groups at the end of study. A lower incidence of hypoglycemia indicating that the fixed ratio combination may mitigate the increased risk of hypoglycemia often seen in long-standing DM. Other studies also showed good safety profile of fixed ratio combination therapy (12, 13).
Obesity in one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Modest weight loss can minimize and reduce diabetes-associated complications (19). Fixed combination iDegLira was superior in reduction body weight and BMI than iGlarLixi in our study. Different GLP 1 RA have different effect on weight change. Differences in uptake across the blood–brain barrier (or in brain access through subfornical organs) have been postulated as an explanation (20–23). Clinical trial data from patients receiving fixed-ratio combination showed a weight change of -0,3 to -0,7 kg for iGlarLixi and − 2 to -2,7 kg for iDeg Lira (12, 13, 16, 17, 24).
Our results had showed improvements in lipid levels. Both preparation had showed the most effect on triglycerids level. Although, iDegLira more decrease total cholesterol and LDL, but these differences were not significant. Other studies showed better lipid profil with fixed ratio combination (25–30). Unlike other results which had not showed diffrence in HDL level, our results also had showed increase in HDL level in iGlarLixi groups.