Glycaemic durability and compliance among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients from India: results from the companion survey

Background: The COMPANION research survey was conducted to understand glycemic durability and compliance with existing care among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in India. Methods: The cross-sectional observational survey enrolled 367 physicians; each physician responded to a questionnaire based on observation of 15 T2DM patients in their clinical practice and overall clinical experience. The survey questionnaire consisted of 6 sections with questions on durability of glycemic control, treatment adherence, patient compliance and time- in-range (TIR). Results: Most physicians agreed that durability of glycemic control was an important factor for better clinical outcomes. More than half of the physicians believed that glycemic control was determined by medication adherence, lifestyle modifications, class of antidiabetic drugs, and duration of diabetes. Along with a weight neutral effect, physicians opined that vildagliptin exhibited reduced risk of hypoglycemia. Stopping medications after feeling better and trouble in swallowing tablets were the two main reasons for medication non-adherence. EAZYGLIDE™ tablet, a fixed-dose combination of vildagliptin plus metformin, was found to improve patient adherence and compliance. In patients with poor TIR, around 76% of physicians recommended dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor therapy. In all, 87% of physicians prescribed ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) to patients with increased risk of hypoglycemia. Conclusion: Appropriate evaluation of glycemic control plays a vital role in the overall management of T2D. EAZYGLIDE™ tablet exhibited improved patient adherence and compliance to therapy owing to its improved features. Patient education about continuous glucose monitoring and AGP and prescription of suitable medications are necessary for enhancing overall clinical outcomes.