FLuctuATion Reduction With inSULin and Glp-1 Added togetheR (FLAT-SUGAR)

Completed · Phase 4

Conditions studied: Type 2 Diabetes

In brief

Results of recent studies using standard long and short acting insulin therapy (Basal - Bolus or BBI) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have not shown benefits to lower risks for heart attacks, strokes, or eye, nerve and kidney problems. Some studies also show a long time between the start of treatment and signs of benefit. This has led to a review of current ways to normalize blood glucose control with basal bolus insulin and how to make blood glucose better. Improving blood sugar with insulin therapy usually causes weight gain, more high sugar levels after meals, and more low blood sugars. Early studies suggest that when people take long-acting insulin and metformin, they have fewer blood sugar extremes when they also take a new type of medicine called glucagon-like polypeptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist named exenatide (Byetta), instead of meal-time insulin. This means there might be a better way to treat Type 2 diabetes. Participants are asked to take part in an eight month study to find out if middle-aged and older people with Type 2 diabetes who have added risk factors for heart disease can even out their blood sugar levels. They will start on long-acting insulin, mealtime insulin, and metformin, if they are not already on these medications. Their kidney function tests must be normal and they must not be allergic to metformin. Then, after a 2 month run-in phase, they must be willing to be assigned by chance into one of two groups. This means that they will have a 50/50 chance (like flipping a coin) of being in either group. Half of them will be started on the new medicine known as Byetta rather than the meal-time insulin and the other half will remain on the meal-time insulin during the next 6 months (26 weeks) to see which group has more steady blood sugars. They will be asked to use a continuous blood sugar monitoring system called DexCom. A sensor is inserted under the skin in the same areas the insulin is injected. The DexCom can check their blood sugars 24 hours of the day and night and will be worn until 7 days of recordings are collected. In the same 7 day period, they will also be asked to wear a Holter or Telemetry monitor that will record their heart beats and rhythm which will be compared to the blood sugar readings. They will also use home glucose meters to check their glucose levels about 3 to 4 times a day. The study will take place at 12 centers in the United States and enroll about 120-130 people.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT01524705
Run by: University of Washington
People needed: 102
Starts: 2012-08-01
Expected to finish: 2014-07-01
Last updated by the study team: 2023-12-29

Who can join

Age: 40 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

T2DM for >12 months defined according to current ADA criteria
C-peptide >0.5 ng/mL-after informed consent has been signed, samples will be drawn fasting and sent to a central lab
Participants must be on insulin therapy. Diabetes, Blood Pressure \& Lipid therapy must be stable (in both dose and agent) for ≥3 months (dose of any 1 drug has not changed by more than 2-fold, \& new agents not been added within the previous 3 months)
HbA1c 7.5-8.5% for enrollment
Age at enrollment (screening): 40-75 years (inclusive) when there is a history of cardiovascular disease (defined in 'a'), or 55 to 75 years (inclusive) when there is not a history of cardiovascular disease but 2 or more risk factors (with or without treatment) are present (defined in 'b')
a) Established cardiovascular disease defined as presence of one of the following: i. Previous myocardial infarction (MI). (most recent must be > 3 months prior enrollment) ii. Previous stroke. (most recent must be >3 months prior enrollment) iii. History of coronary revascularization (e.g., coronary artery bypass graft surgery, stent placement, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or laser atherectomy)(most recent must be > 3 months prior enrollment) iv. History of carotid or peripheral revascularization (e.g., carotid endarterectomy, lower extremity atherosclerotic disease atherectomy, repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, femoral or popliteal bypass). (most recent must be >3 months prior enrollment) v. Angina with either ischemic changes on a resting ECG, or ECG changes on a graded exercise test (GXT), or positive cardiac imaging study vi. Ankle/brachial index <0.9 vii. LVH with strain by ECG or ECHO viii. >50% stenosis of a coronary, carotid, renal or lower extremity artery. ix. Urine albumin to urine creatinine ratio of >30 mg albumin/g creatinine in 2 samples, separated by at least 7 days, within past 12 months) [Target of 50% of study cohort] or b) Increased CVD risk defined as presence of 2 or more of the following: i. Untreated LDL-C >130 mg/dL or on lipid treatment ii. Low HDL-C (<40 mg/dL for men and <50 mg/dL for women) iii. Untreated systolic BP >140 mm Hg, or on antihypertensive treatment iv. Current cigarette smoking v. Body mass index 25-45 (Asian populations 23-45) kg/m2
No expectation that participant will move out of clinical center area during the next 8 months, unless move will be to an area served by another trial center
Ability to speak \& read English

You may not qualify if…

The presence of a physical disability, significant medical or psychiatric disorder; substance abuse or use of a medication that in the judgment of the investigator will affect the use of CGM, wearing of the sensors, Holter or Telemetry monitor, complex medication regimen, or completion of any aspect of the protocol
Cannot have had any cardiovascular event or interventional procedure, (MI, Stroke or revascularization) or been hospitalized for unstable angina within the last 3 months
Inability or unwillingness to discontinue use of acetaminophen products during CGM use
Inability or unwillingness to discontinue use of all other diabetes agents other than insulin \& metformin during trial (including insulin pump participants who will need to convert to BBI)
Intolerance of metformin dose <500 mg/day
Inability or unwillingness to perform blood glucose testing a minimum of 3 times/per day
Creatinine level ≥1.5 for males or 1.4 for females
ALT level ≥ 3 times upper limit of normal
Current symptomatic heart failure, history of NYHA Class III or IV congestive heart failure at any time, or ejection fraction (by any method) < 25%
Inpatient psychiatric treatment in the past 6 months
Currently participating in an intervention trial
Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as collagen vascular diseases or inflammatory bowel disease
History of pancreatitis
BMI >45kg/m2
For females, pregnant or intending to become pregnant during the next 7 months

Where it is running

So Calif. Permanente Medical Group — San Diego, California, United States
University of Miami — Miami, Florida, United States
Atlanta Diabetes Associates — Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Joslin Diabetes Center — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
International Diabetes Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Washington University — St Louis, Missouri, United States
Kaledia Health of Western New York — Buffalo, New York, United States
Diabetes Care Center — Durham, North Carolina, United States
Oregon Health and Science University — Portland, Oregon, United States
University of Vermont — Colchester, Vermont, United States
University of Washington — Seattle, Washington, United States
Washington State University Spokane, College of Pharmacy Spokane WA 99202 USA — Spokane, Washington, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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