Gender-associated Differences in Weight Gain, Insulin Requirement and Metabolic Control in Newly Insulin-treated Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Secondary Sulfonylurea Failure—a One-year Observation

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine differences between male and female type 2 diabetic patients concerning body weight, metabolic control, insulin requirement and prevalence of vascular diseases during the first year insulin therapy. Patients and Methods: We investigated 102 newly insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients (60 female) with secondary sulfonylurea failure. Observation period was the first year insulin therapy. We compared BMI, HbA1c, lipids and insulin requirement at the begin and after one year, C-peptide and prevalence of vascular diseases at the start of insulin therapy. Results: At the start of insulin substitution, omen had a higher BMI (27 + 3 versus 25 + 3; p  0.05). Women also required a higher insulin dose than did men (28 + 6 versus 24 + 6 IU/day) Mean HbA1c and cholesterol levels were similar in both groups whereas triglycerides were higher in women (244 + 88 versus 203 + 76 mg/dl; p  0.05). Both groups achieved a similar gain in body weight after one year (+2.5% versus +2.6%; NS). HbA1c decreased from 9.2 + 1.1 to 7.4% + 0.9% (-19%) in women and from 9.4 + 1.1 to 7.5% + 1.0% (-20%) in men. The prevalence of vascular diseases was not significantly different in both groups. Conclusions: At the start of insulin therapy female type 2 diabetic patients showed a significant higher BMI and a higher insulin requirement than male patients. The metabolic control was similar in men and women, only the triglycerides were higher in the female patients. Weight gain and increase of needed insulin as well as prevalence of macroangiopathy were the same in both groups.