Switching to insulin degludec/liraglutide combination in Colombia reduced HbA1c by 1.3% and weight by 1 kg over 26 weeks with no severe hypoglycemia.
HbA1c 9.1% → 7.8%Average blood sugar control improved by 1.3 percentage points after switching to IDegLira, bringing patients much closer to treatment targets
What the researchers found
After approximately 26 weeks on IDegLira:
- HbA1c decreased by 1.3% (from 9.1% to 7.8%, p < 0.0001)
- Body weight decreased by 1 kg (from 76.1 to 75.1 kg, p < 0.0001)
- No severe hypoglycemic events observed
- Mean final IDegLira dose: 21.3 units
These results were achieved in patients who had previously been on basal insulin (with or without oral diabetes drugs) and were not reaching their blood sugar targets. The combination provided better control with modest weight loss rather than the weight gain typically seen with intensified insulin therapy.
Why it matters
In Latin America, many diabetes patients on basal insulin do not reach their blood sugar targets. Adding a GLP-1 drug through a fixed-ratio combination simplifies treatment (one injection instead of two) and adds weight loss benefit. Real-world data from the region confirms that IDegLira works outside clinical trial conditions in this population.
The numbers in context
- 175 patients across 10 centers in Colombia
- Baseline HbA1c: 9.1%
- Final HbA1c: 7.8% (reduction: 1.3%, p < 0.0001)
- Baseline weight: 76.1 kg
- Final weight: 75.1 kg (reduction: 1.0 kg, p < 0.0001)
- Mean final dose: 21.3 units/day
- Severe hypoglycemia: 0 events
How the study worked
SPIRIT was a non-interventional, single-arm, retrospective chart review conducted at 10 clinical centers across Colombia. Data were collected from medical records of 175 patients with type 2 diabetes who had been switched from basal insulin (± oral antidiabetics) to IDegLira at least 26 ± 6 weeks before data collection. Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05324462).
Who was studied
175 adults with type 2 diabetes at 10 clinical centers in Colombia, previously on basal insulin
What this study cannot tell us
Retrospective, single-arm design with no control group. Without a comparator, the improvement could partly reflect attention effects or concomitant lifestyle changes. The 26-week follow-up is relatively short. Only 175 patients were included. Colombia-specific healthcare factors may limit generalizability. The study relied on medical records, which may have incomplete data.
How to read the evidence
Rated moderate: real-world retrospective study with no control group, but provides practical data from an underrepresented Latin American population.
When this study was published
Published in 2024. First real-world data from Colombia for this fixed-ratio insulin/GLP-1 combination.
The bigger picture
In Latin America, many diabetes patients on basal insulin don't reach blood sugar targets. A fixed combination that adds GLP-1 effects without extra injections simplifies treatment and may improve adherence.
Questions still open
- Would results differ with longer follow-up?
- How does this compare to adding a separate GLP-1 injection?
Common questions
What is IDegLira?
Does this combination cause weight gain?
Read the original research
SPIRIT: Assessing Clinical Parameters Associated with Using IDegLira in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Real-World Setting in Colombia.
Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders, 15(7), 1535-1545
Citation
Ramírez-Rincón, Alex; Henao-Carrillo, Diana; Omeara, Miguel; Oliveros, Julio; Assaf, José; Ordóñez, Jaime E; Prasad, Preethy; Alzate, María Alejandra. (2024). SPIRIT: Assessing Clinical Parameters Associated with Using IDegLira in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Real-World Setting in Colombia.. Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders, 15(7), 1535-1545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-024-01593-8