Abstract

Aims

To determine the effects on quality of life after starting insulin with, or switching to, insulin analogue therapies in the 24-week, prospective, non-interventional, observational A₁chieve study conducted across four continents in people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed at baseline and at 24 weeks by the validated EQ-5D questionnaire (visual analogue score [VAS] and five dimensions) in 66,726 people who had started using basal insulin detemir, mealtime insulin aspart (with or without a basal insulin) or biphasic insulin aspart 30.

Results

For the overall cohort, reported HRQoL increased significantly by 13.8 points from 63.4 points at baseline to 77.2 points at 24 weeks (p < 0.001) (scale 1–100, 100 = best health imaginable). Beginning or changing insulin was associated with a significant increase in HRQoL score (+15.0 points and +11.1 points, respectively), resulting in a similar score at 24 weeks in the two populations (77.8 and 75.9 points). Reported HRQoL also increased statistically significantly in people administering any insulin analogue regimen and across all regions, although there were some marked regional differences in reported HRQoL at baseline.

Conclusion

Compared with baseline scores, beginning insulin with, or switching to, insulin analogue therapies are associated with increased HRQoL.