The effect of 6-day subcutaneous glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide infusion on time in glycaemic range in patients with type 1 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial

Type 1 diabetes is characterised by reduced glucagon response to hypoglycaemia, increasing the risk of insulin treatment-associated hypoglycaemia known to hamper glycaemic control. We previously reported a glucagonotropic effect of exogenous glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Here we investigate the effect of a 6-day s.c. GIP infusion on time in glycaemic range as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in individuals with type 1 diabetes. In a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study, time in glycaemic range (assessed by double-blinded CGM) was evaluated in 20 men with type 1 diabetes (18–75 years, stable insulin treatment ≥3 months, diabetes duration 2–15 years, fasting plasma C-peptide below 200 pmol/l, BMI 20–27 kg/m2, HbA1c 10 mmol/l, p = 0.32) during night-time or daytime, in mean glucose, or in hypoglycaemic events as assessed by CGM. GIP altered neither self-reported hypoglycaemia nor safety measures. Compared with placebo, GIP significantly increased time in tight range (3.9–7.8 mmol/l) during daytime (06:00–23:59 hours) by [mean ± SEM] 11.2 ± 5.1% [95% CI 0.41, 21.9] (p = 0.02). Six-day s.c. GIP infusion in men with type 1 diabetes did not procure convincing effect on overall time in range, but increased time in tight glycaemic range during daytime by ~2 h per day. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03734718. The study was funded by grants from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Fond.