FLuctuATion Reduction With inSULin and Glp-1 Added togetheR (FLAT-SUGAR) (FLAT-SUGAR)
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01524705 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: February 2, 2012
Last Update Posted
: September 18, 2014
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Results Submitted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Results of recent studies using standard long and short acting insulin therapy (Basal - Bolus or BBI) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have not shown benefits to lower risks for heart attacks, strokes, or eye, nerve and kidney problems. Some studies also show a long time between the start of treatment and signs of benefit. This has led to a review of current ways to normalize blood glucose control with basal bolus insulin and how to make blood glucose better. Improving blood sugar with insulin therapy usually causes weight gain, more high sugar levels after meals, and more low blood sugars. Early studies suggest that when people take long-acting insulin and metformin, they have fewer blood sugar extremes when they also take a new type of medicine called glucagon-like polypeptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist named exenatide (Byetta), instead of meal-time insulin. This means there might be a better way to treat Type 2 diabetes.
Participants are asked to take part in an eight month study to find out if middle-aged and older people with Type 2 diabetes who have added risk factors for heart disease can even out their blood sugar levels. They will start on long-acting insulin, mealtime insulin, and metformin, if they are not already on these medications. Their kidney function tests must be normal and they must not be allergic to metformin. Then, after a 2 month run-in phase, they must be willing to be assigned by chance into one of two groups. This means that they will have a 50/50 chance (like flipping a coin) of being in either group. Half of them will be started on the new medicine known as Byetta rather than the meal-time insulin and the other half will remain on the meal-time insulin during the next 6 months (26 weeks) to see which group has more steady blood sugars. They will be asked to use a continuous blood sugar monitoring system called DexCom. A sensor is inserted under the skin in the same areas the insulin is injected. The DexCom can check their blood sugars 24 hours of the day and night and will be worn until 7 days of recordings are collected. In the same 7 day period, they will also be asked to wear a Holter or Telemetry monitor that will record their heart beats and rhythm which will be compared to the blood sugar readings. They will also use home glucose meters to check their glucose levels about 3 to 4 times a day. The study will take place at 12 centers in the United States and enroll about 120-130 people.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Type 2 Diabetes | Drug: "GLIPULIN:" [insulin glargine, metformin, exenatide (GLP-1-agonist)] Drug: Insulin glargine, metformin, prandial insulin | Phase 4 |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 102 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | FLAT-SUGAR: FLuctuATion Reduction With inSULin and Glp-1 Added togetheR |
Study Start Date : | August 2012 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | July 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | July 2014 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Insulin Glargine, metformin, exenatide
Approximately 60 Type 2 DM participants will be instructed on an AHA/ADA meal plan. Insulin Glargine, metformin and exenatide will used as a combination strategy to control individual HBA1Cs between 6.7 and 7.3% throughout the trial.
|
Drug: "GLIPULIN:" [insulin glargine, metformin, exenatide (GLP-1-agonist)]
Glargine-injectable, variable, QD, 6 months Metformin-oral, up to 1000mg, BID, 6 months Exenatide-injectable, 5mcg, BID, 6 months
Other Name: Glipulin is a short name that has been given to the combination of glargine, metformin and exenatide (a GLP1 agonist). Combination used previously.
|
Active Comparator: glargine, metformin, prandial insulin
Approximately 60 type 2 DM participants will be instructed in AHA/ADA meal plan. Insulin Glargine, metformin and one of 3 prandial insulins will be used as combination strategy to control individual HBA1Cs between 6.7 and 7.3%. Prandial Insulins (aspart, glulisine or lispro)
|
Drug: Insulin glargine, metformin, prandial insulin
Approximately 60 type 2 DM participants will be instructed in AHA/ADA meal plan. Insulin Glargine, metformin and one of 3 prandial insulins will be used as combination strategy to control individual HBA1Cs between 6.7 and 7.3%. Prandial Insulins (aspart, glulisine or lispro)
Other Names:
|
- The change in the coefficient of variation of continuous glucose readings, as assessed by CGM. [ Time Frame: At baseline, 3 and 6 mo of intervention ]
- The secondary trial goal will be to evaluate the frequency of hypoglycemia in the two interventional arms. [ Time Frame: 10 days, 4, 11, 13, 19, 24 and 26 wks ]
Severe Hypoglycemia-documented glucose <50mg/dl (participant journal), and hypoglycemic attacks requiring hospitalization, or treatment by emergency personnel.
Possible side effects to Metformin, Insulin(either short or long acting)and Exenatide

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 40 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- T2DM for >12 months defined according to current ADA criteria
- C-peptide >0.5 ng/mL-after informed consent has been signed, samples will be drawn fasting and sent to a central lab
- Participants must be on insulin therapy. Diabetes, Blood Pressure & Lipid therapy must be stable (in both dose and agent) for ≥3 months (dose of any 1 drug has not changed by more than 2-fold, & new agents not been added within the previous 3 months)
- HbA1c 7.5-8.5% for enrollment
-
Age at enrollment (screening): 40-75 years (inclusive) when there is a history of cardiovascular disease (defined in 'a'), or 55 to 75 years (inclusive) when there is not a history of cardiovascular disease but 2 or more risk factors (with or without treatment) are present (defined in 'b')
a) Established cardiovascular disease defined as presence of one of the following: i. Previous myocardial infarction (MI). (most recent must be > 3 months prior enrollment) ii. Previous stroke. (most recent must be >3 months prior enrollment) iii. History of coronary revascularization (e.g., coronary artery bypass graft surgery, stent placement, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or laser atherectomy)(most recent must be > 3 months prior enrollment) iv. History of carotid or peripheral revascularization (e.g., carotid endarterectomy, lower extremity atherosclerotic disease atherectomy, repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, femoral or popliteal bypass). (most recent must be >3 months prior enrollment) v. Angina with either ischemic changes on a resting ECG, or ECG changes on a graded exercise test (GXT), or positive cardiac imaging study vi. Ankle/brachial index <0.9 vii. LVH with strain by ECG or ECHO viii. >50% stenosis of a coronary, carotid, renal or lower extremity artery. ix. Urine albumin to urine creatinine ratio of >30 mg albumin/g creatinine in 2 samples, separated by at least 7 days, within past 12 months) [Target of 50% of study cohort] or b) Increased CVD risk defined as presence of 2 or more of the following: i. Untreated LDL-C >130 mg/dL or on lipid treatment ii. Low HDL-C (<40 mg/dL for men and <50 mg/dL for women) iii. Untreated systolic BP >140 mm Hg, or on antihypertensive treatment iv. Current cigarette smoking v. Body mass index 25-45 (Asian populations 23-45) kg/m2
- No expectation that participant will move out of clinical center area during the next 8 months, unless move will be to an area served by another trial center
- Ability to speak & read English
Exclusion Criteria:
- The presence of a physical disability, significant medical or psychiatric disorder; substance abuse or use of a medication that in the judgment of the investigator will affect the use of CGM, wearing of the sensors, Holter or Telemetry monitor, complex medication regimen, or completion of any aspect of the protocol
- Cannot have had any cardiovascular event or interventional procedure, (MI, Stroke or revascularization) or been hospitalized for unstable angina within the last 3 months
- Inability or unwillingness to discontinue use of acetaminophen products during CGM use
- Inability or unwillingness to discontinue use of all other diabetes agents other than insulin & metformin during trial (including insulin pump participants who will need to convert to BBI)
- Intolerance of metformin dose <500 mg/day
- Inability or unwillingness to perform blood glucose testing a minimum of 3 times/per day
- Creatinine level ≥1.5 for males or 1.4 for females
- ALT level ≥ 3 times upper limit of normal
- Current symptomatic heart failure, history of NYHA Class III or IV congestive heart failure at any time, or ejection fraction (by any method) < 25%
- Inpatient psychiatric treatment in the past 6 months
- Currently participating in an intervention trial
- Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as collagen vascular diseases or inflammatory bowel disease
- History of pancreatitis
- BMI >45kg/m2
- For females, pregnant or intending to become pregnant during the next 7 months

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01524705
United States, California | |
So Calif. Permanente Medical Group | |
San Diego, California, United States, 92109 | |
United States, Florida | |
University of Miami | |
Miami, Florida, United States, 33136 | |
United States, Georgia | |
Atlanta Diabetes Associates | |
Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30309 | |
United States, Massachusetts | |
Joslin Diabetes Center | |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215 | |
United States, Minnesota | |
International Diabetes Center | |
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55416 | |
United States, Missouri | |
Washington University | |
St. Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110 | |
United States, New York | |
Kaledia Health of Western New York | |
Buffalo, New York, United States, 14209 | |
United States, North Carolina | |
Diabetes Care Center | |
Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27713 | |
United States, Oregon | |
Oregon Health and Science University | |
Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239 | |
United States, Vermont | |
University of Vermont | |
Colchester, Vermont, United States, 05446 | |
United States, Washington | |
University of Washington | |
Seattle, Washington, United States, 98105 | |
Washington State University Spokane, College of Pharmacy Spokane WA 99202 USA | |
Spokane, Washington, United States, 99202 |
Principal Investigator: | Jeffrey L Probstfield, MD | Professor of Medicine, University of Washington |
Additional Information:
Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Jeff Probstfield, Professor, University of Washington |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01524705 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
42178-E/G |
First Posted: | February 2, 2012 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | September 18, 2014 |
Last Verified: | September 2014 |
Keywords provided by Jeff Probstfield, University of Washington:
Pilot Study Prospective Randomized Trial Comparative Effectiveness Glycemic Variability |
insulin glargine exenatide basal insulin bolus insulin |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Insulin, Globin Zinc Exenatide Insulin Metformin Insulin Glargine Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Glucagon |
Hypoglycemic Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs Incretins Hormones Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Gastrointestinal Agents |