Trends in Glucose-Lowering Drug Use, Glycemic Control, and Severe Hypoglycemia in Adults With Diabetes in Hong Kong, 2002–2016

OBJECTIVE There has been a shift toward new classes of glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) in the past decade but no improvements in glycemic control or hospitalization rates due to severe hypoglycemia (SH) in previous surveys. We examined trends in GLDs use, glycemic control, and SH rate among patients with diabetes in Hong Kong, which introduced a territory-wide, team-based diabetes care model since 2000.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using population-based data from the Hong Kong Diabetes Surveillance Database, we estimated age- and sex-standardized proportion of GLD classes, mean hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) levels, and SH rates in 763,809 patients with diabetes aged ≥20 years between 2002 and 2016.

RESULTS Between 2002 and 2016, use declined for sulfonylureas (62.9% to 35.3%) but increased for metformin (48.4% to 61.4%) and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) (0.01% in 2007 to 8.3%). The proportion of patients with HbA_1c of 6.0–7.0% (42–53 mmol/mol) increased from 28.6% to 43.4%, while the SH rate declined from 4.2/100 person-years to 1.3/100 person-years. The main improvement in HbA_1c occurred between 2007 and 2014, decreasing from mean (SD) 7.6% (1.6) (59.5 [19.0] mmol/mol) to 7.2% (1.7) (54.8 [18.9] mmol/mol) (P < 0.001). The 20–44 years age-group had the highest proportion of HbA_1c ≥9% (75 mmol/mol) and rising proportions not on GLDs (from 2.0% to 7.7%).

CONCLUSIONS In this 15-year survey, the modest but important improvement in HbA_1c since 2007 coincided with diabetes service reforms, increase in metformin, decrease in sulfonylureas, and modest rise in DPP-4i use. Persistently poor glycemic control and underuse of GLDs in the youngest group calls for targeted action.