Why carry out this study?

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among the elderly is high and is increasing.

Balancing the safety and efficacy of diabetes therapy is especially important in older adults due to comorbid medical conditions, concomitant medications, and increased risk of hypoglycemia.

Many diabetes treatment options are available, including the prandial insulin, ultra-rapid lispro (URLi).

In the PRONTO-T2D study, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of URLi versus lispro (Humalog®) in adults with type 2 diabetes, URLi was non-inferior to lispro for HbA1c reduction and showed superior PPG control with a similar safety profile to lispro.

The current study evaluated the efficacy and safety of URLi compared to lispro in patients aged < 65 versus ≥ 65 years with type 2 diabetes.

What was learned from the study?

URLi resulted in endpoint HbA1c < 7% and significantly lower postprandial glucose excursions compared to lispro in both age groups.

The incidence of severe hypoglycemia was low in both age groups.

The rate of level 2 hypoglycemia (blood glucose < 54 mg/dl) was lower with URLi in patients ≥ 65 years and higher in patients < 65 years compared to lispro.

Overall, treatment with URLi resulted in good glycemic control with an acceptable safety profile compared to lispro in patients in both age groups with type 2 diabetes.