A comparison of two intensification regimens with rapid-acting insulin aspart in type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by once-daily insulin detemir and oral antidiabetes drugs : the STEP-Wise™ randomized study

Objective: Comparison of the efficacy and safety of two intensification strategies for stepwise addition of prandial insulin aspart (IAsp) in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin detemir (IDet). Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, parallel-group, open-label, 48-week trial comparing stepwise addition of IAsp to either the largest meal (titration based on pre-meal glucose values ‘SimpleSTEP’) or to the meal with the largest prandial glucose increment (titration based on post-meal values ‘ExtraSTEP’) in 296 individuals inadequately controlled on basal insulin and oral antidiabetes drugs (OADs). Following 12 weeks of basal IDet dose optimization, participants with HbA1c ≥7% entered three 12-week treatment periods with stepwise addition of a first IAsp bolus, then a second, and then a third, if HbA1c remained ≥7% after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment, respectively. Endpoints included HbA1c (primary endpoint), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), self-measured plasma glucose (SMPG), adverse events and hypoglycemia. Results: HbA1c decreased by ~1.2% in both groups, to 7.5±1.1% (SimpleSTEP) and 7.7±1.2% (ExtraSTEP) at end-of-trial (estimated treatment difference, SimpleSTEP - ExtraSTEP: -0.06%, (95%CI: -0.29 to 0.17)). SMPG levels decreased with both regimens. At trial end, approximately 75% of patients in each group were using three prandial injections. The frequency of adverse events and hypoglycemia was low, and similar between groups. Conclusion: The SimpleSTEP and ExtraSTEP strategies for stepwise addition of IAsp to one or more meals were equally effective at intensifying therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes not achieving glycemic control on basal insulin and OADs