Therapeutic Inertia in an Insured Population with Type 2 Diabetes in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

introductionThis study examines the characteristics of adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were not initially treated with an antihyperglycemic agent (AHA).

methodsThe analyses used Optum de-identified Market Clarity data from January 2013 through September 2023. The US study included nonpregnant adults with T2D who were continuously insured from 1 year prior through 5 years post diagnosis and did not fill a prescription for an AHA in the year after their initial T2D diagnosis. Differences between those treated in years 2-5 with an AHA (delayed treatment) and those untreated with an AHA for 5 years post diagnosis (untreated) were examined descriptively and using multivariable analyses.

resultsOut of 186,259 adults with T2D, 56.7% (N = 105,533) did not fill a prescription for an AHA in the year after diagnosis and were included in the study. Of these 105,533 adults (mean age 59.6 years; 51.4% female), 75.0% were untreated for the entire 5 years post diagnosis. In the delayed treatment group, metformin was the most common first-line therapy (72.9%), and 83.0% of those who initiated monotherapy never received additional classes of AHAs. Compared to the delayed treatment group, the untreated group had significantly higher rates of incident cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause direct total costs ($118,191 vs $108,687; P < 0.05).

conclusionOver 50% of adults diagnosed with T2D were untreated with an AHA in the first year post diagnosis, and most of those who went untreated the first year remained untreated after 5 years. Among the delayed treatment patients, the majority did not use additional AHA classes besides their index therapy in the post-period. These findings suggest that therapeutic inertia affects a significant percentage of individuals with T2D. Given the untreated group's significantly worse cardiovascular outcomes and higher medical costs, these findings highlight a potential unmet need in the years immediately following T2D diagnosis.