Persistently High Glycated Hemoglobin in a Subgroup of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Who Failed Usual Oral Antihyperglycemics and Insulin in Côte d’Ivoire

Background: Type II diabetes mellitus is associated with multiple metabolic derangements which can cause secondary pathophysiological changes in multiple organ systems. This in turn can impose a heavy burden of morbidity and mortality from micro‑ and macro‑vascular complications. This study aimed to describe the metabolic and therapeutic profile of a subgroup of type 2 diabetic patients who have treatment failure with oral anti-hyperglycemic agents with persistent hyperglycemia despite insulin treatment. Methods: 60 type 2 diabetic patients in treatment failure with oral antidiabetics and under insulin treatment, aged 35 to 70 years, were recruited at the Diabetes Clinic of the University Teaching Hospital of Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Blood samples were collected in tubes containing Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) to determine glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Results: The average age of the population was 54 ± 9.38 years with a sex ratio (M/F) of 0.3, an average BMI of 30.25 ± 5 kg/m2, and an average HbA1c of 10.1% ± 1.6% for an average diabetes duration of 11.8 ± 5.8 years. The average insulin dose was 74.556 ± 16.21 UI/day, and the average duration of insulin treatment was 5.4 ± 3.1 years. The average HbA1c value was 10.1% ± 1.87% in men against 10.03% ± 1.53% in women with no significant difference (p = 0.1). The mean HbA1c values according to patient weight were 10.08% ± 2.05% for normal weight, 9.55% ± 2.26% for overweight, and 10.57% for obese, with no significant difference between the three groups of patients (p = 0.1). Conclusion: This study showed a persistence increase in glycated hemoglobin regardless of the treatment regimen, duration, and dose of insulin treatment in the subpopulation of type 2 diabetic patients.