Changes in time to insulin initiation in type 2 diabetes patients: a retrospective database analysis in Germany and UK (2005-2010).
AIMS
To study whether the time to insulin therapy in type 2 diabetic patients in primary care in Germany and UK has increased (2005-2010).


METHODS
Longitudinal data from general practices in Germany and UK (Disease Analyser) from 1995 to 2010 were analyzed. Patients who started their insulin treatment from 2005 to 2010 were analyzed regarding the time from the first diabetes diagnosis in the practices (index date) and the first insulin prescription, including 6368 patients (age: 68 (SD: 12) years) in Germany and 1998 patients (age: 64 (12) yrs) in UK.


RESULTS
Median (interquartile range) time to insulin therapy in the practices increased from 943 (214-1994) days in 2005 to 1549 (957-2533) days in 2010 (p < 0.001). In UK, time to onset of insulin treatment increased from 1700 (649-2521) days in 2005 to 2061 (1309-2686) days in 2010 (p < 0.001). The last HbA1c values before insulin initiation were high and slightly increased during the study period (Germany: 2005: 8.2%, 2010: 8.4%; UK: 2005: 9.5%, 2010: 9.8%; both p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This real world data shows that the time to insulin therapy has increased in type 2 diabetes patients from 2005 to 2010 (Germany, UK). The average HbA1c values before insulin therapy also slightly increased during this period.