By Dr. Francine Kaufman

Insulin pumps are often thought of as a medical device for people with type 1 diabetes. However, more and more research indicates that people with type 2 diabetes who are on multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin can also benefit from using pumps. 

For example, new results from a study called the OpT2mise Trial were recently published.* This is the largest global study to evaluate and compare insulin pump therapy versus multiple daily insulin injections for people with type 2 diabetes.

These results could improve access to insulin pumps for the 3 million people around the world with type 2 diabetes on MDI and maybe even the 20 million people with type 2 who require insulin. Many health systems and governments around the world have said there is not enough scientific evidence to support use of insulin pump therapy in type 2 diabetes (even if they cover insulin pumps for people with type 1 diabetes). With the robust scientific data from this important study, Medtronic will partner with healthcare systems to demonstrate how effective this therapy can be to improve clinical outcomes.

Initial results of OpT2mise showed that after six months, people with type 2 who used MiniMed® insulin pumps achieved better glucose control than those using multiple daily injections (MDI). This is confirmed now that we have data from the one year continuation phase of the study.

Why Should This Matter to You?

One of the biggest myths about insulin pump therapy is that it’s only for people with type 1 diabetes. Insulin pumps are actually suitable for anyone with diabetes of any type as long as they require intensive insulin treatment and have a prescription from their healthcare team. Data from studies like OpT2mise is important because this could help with insurance coverage, access to supplies, and serve a foundation for a discussion on insulin pump therapy to share with your healthcare team.

For this study, there were two groups of people:

o    One group of people switched from MDI to pump therapy at the beginning of this study and remained on it for one year

o    The second group of people used MDI for the first six months of the study, then switched to an insulin pump

Three key findings include:

1. Glucose control improved significantly for all study participants. People on MDI for the initial six months of the study were able to achieve an additional A1C reduction of 0.8% after switching to insulin pump therapy.
2. Both groups achieved an identical 1.2% reduction in A1C at the 12-month mark. The MDI group, which switched to insulin pump therapy after six months, experienced a similar reduction in A1C to the results seen in the original insulin pump group. (For every one percent drop in A1C, the risk of microvascular complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage can be reduced by 40 percent.**)
3. At the end of the continuation phase, participants who switched from MDI to an insulin pump showed a 19.0% reduction in total daily insulin dose, making it equivalent in both groups of people. Studies have reported that near-normal glucose control can prolong life by an average of five years, and delay the onset of complications from diabetes, such as blindness, kidney failure, amputation, impotence, coma, and heart disease, by an average of 15 years.**

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the one year results:

For more information on Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump systems for people with type 2 diabetes, please visit http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/treatments/insulin-pump-therapy-type-2.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
– Medtronic Diabetes insulin infusion pumps, continuous glucose monitoring systems and associated components are limited to sale by or on the order of a physician and should only be used under the direction of a healthcare professional familiar with the risks associated with the use of these systems.
– Successful operation of the insulin infusion pumps and/or continuous glucose monitoring systems requires adequate vision and hearing to recognize alerts and alarms.

Medtronic Diabetes Insulin Infusion Pumps
- Insulin pump therapy is not recommended for individuals who are unable or unwilling to perform a minimum of four blood glucose tests per day.
- Insulin pumps use rapid-acting insulin. If your insulin delivery is interrupted for any reason, you must be prepared to replace the missed insulin immediately.

Please visit MedtronicDiabetes.com/isi for more details.

*Aronson, R., Reznik, Y., Conget, I., Castañeda, J. A., Runzis, S., Lee, S. W., Cohen, O. and for the OpT2mise Study Group (2016), Sustained efficacy of insulin pump therapy compared with multiple daily injections in type 2 diabetes: 12-month data from the OpT2mise randomized trial. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 18: 500–507. doi: 10.1111/dom.12642

**Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. Lifetime benefits and costs of intensive therapy as practiced in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. JAMA, November 6, 1996; 276: No.17.