Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
How well do glucose variability measures predict patient glycaemic outcomes during treatment intensification in type
Silvio E Inzucchi1, Guillermo Umpierrez2, Andres DiGenio3
1Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Aim:
Despite links to clinical outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the clinical utility of glycaemic variability (GV) measures is unknown. We evaluated the correlation between baseline GV, and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) attainment and hypoglycaemic events during treatment intensification in a large group of patients.
Methods:
Patient-level data from six 24-week clinical trials of T2DM patients undergoing treatment intensification with basal insulin or comparators (N=1699) were pooled. Baseline GV measures included standard deviation (SD), mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (MAGE), mean absolute glucose (MAG), coefficient of variation (CV), high blood glucose index (HBGI), and low blood glucose index (LBGI) were correlated with HbA1c change and hypoglycaemic events.
Results:
All mean GV measures, excluding CV which worsened, improved significantly from baseline to Week 24, with the largest proportional reduction obtained for HBGI (-65.5%). When assessed as mean individual percentage changes only HBGI improved significantly. Baseline GV correlated positively with Week 24 HbA1c for SD, MAGE, and HBGI. Baseline HBGI and CV correlated negatively and positively, respectively, with Week 24 HbA1c change. Correlations also existed between most baseline GV measures and age, body mass index, Week 24 fasting plasma glucose, Week 24 postprandial plasma glucose, and hypoglycaemic events; statistical significance depended on the specific measure.
Conclusions:
Pre-treatment GV is associated with glycaemic outcomes in T2DM patients undergoing treatment intensification over 24 weeks. HBGI might be the most robust predictor, warranting validation in dedicated prospective studies or randomized trials to assess the predictive value of measuring GV.
More Related Videos
06:59Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
Published on: November 13, 2016
08:13Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test OGTT and Insulin Tolerance Test ITT
Published on: January 7, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Hyperglycemia
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology