Comparison of acarbose and voglibose in diabetes patients who are inadequately controlled with basal insulin treatment: Randomized, parallel, open-label, active-controlled study

We studied the efficacy and safety of acarbose in comparison with voglibose in type 2 diabetes patients whose blood glucose levels were inadequately controlled with basal insulin alone or in combination with metformin (or a sulfonylurea). This study was a 24-week prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled multi-center study. Participants were randomized to receive either acarbose (n=59, 300 mg/day) or voglibose (n=62, 0.9 mg/day). The mean HbA1c at week 24 was significantly decreased approximately 0.7% from baseline in both acarbose (from 8.43%±0.71% to 7.71%±0.93%) and voglibose groups (from 8.38%±0.73% to 7.68%±0.94%). The mean fasting plasma glucose level and self-monitoring of blood glucose data from 1 hr before and after each meal were significantly decreased at week 24 in comparison to baseline in both groups. The levels 1 hr after dinner at week 24 were significantly decreased in the acarbose group (from 233.54±69.38 to 176.80±46.63 mg/dL) compared with the voglibose group (from 224.18±70.07 to 193.01±55.39 mg/dL). In conclusion, both acarbose and voglibose are efficacious and safe in patients with type 2 diabetes who are inadequately controlled with basal insulin. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00970528).