Figure 1. Study design. Thirty-eight Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes who were taking anti-diabetic drugs including LDC such as pioglitazone + metformin, pioglitazone + alogliptin, or pioglitazone + glimepiride were enrolled. These drugs were switched to an FDC of Metact®, Liobel® or Sonias®, respectively, at equivalent dosage. No patients in the study took mitiglinide + voglibose, which can be switched to Glubes®. HbA1c and body weight were measured 0, 2, 4 and 6 months after switching from an LDC to FDC. We also conducted a questionnaire survey 2 months after the start of the FDC regimen.
Figure 2. Changes in HbA1c and body weight after switching from an LDC to FDC. (a) HbA1c levels of all patients. (b) Body weight of all patients. (c) HbA1c levels of patients taking Metact® (FDC of pioglitazone and metformin, n = 7) or Liobel® (FDC of pioglitazone and alogliptin, n = 30).
Figure 3. Changes in HbA1c after switching from an LDC to FDC. (a) HbA1c levels of patients taking more than eight tablets (n = 17) or less than eight tablets (n = 21) in total. (b) HbA1c levels of patients taking more than five anti-diabetic tablets (n = 16) or less than five anti-diabetic tablets (n = 22). *P < 0.05 vs. 0 months in each group.