No insulin degludec dose adjustment required after aerobic exercise for people with type 1 diabetes: the ADREM study

Aims/hypothesis It is generally recommended to reduce basal insulin doses after exercise to reduce the risk of post-exercise nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Based on its long t ½ , it is unknown whether such adjustments are required or beneficial for insulin degludec. Methods The ADREM study (Adjustment of insulin Degludec to Reduce post-Exercise (nocturnal) hypoglycaeMia in people with diabetes) was a randomised controlled, crossover study in which we compared 40% dose reduction (D40), or postponement and 20% dose reduction (D20-P), with no dose adjustment (CON) in adults with type 1 diabetes at elevated risk of hypoglycaemia, who performed a 45 min aerobic exercise test in the afternoon. All participants wore blinded continuous glucose monitors for 6 days, measuring the incidence of (nocturnal) hypoglycaemia and subsequent glucose profiles. Results We recruited 18 participants (six women, age 38 ± 13 years, HbA 1c 56 ± 8 mmol/mol [7.3 ± 0.8%], mean ± SD). Time below range (i.e. glucose <3.9 mmol/l) the night after the exercise test was generally low and occurrence did not differ between the treatment regimens. During the subsequent whole day, time below range was lower for D40 compared with CON (median [IQR], 0 [0–23] vs 18 [0–55] min, p =0.043), without differences in the number of hypoglycaemic events. Time above range (i.e. glucose >10 mmol/l) was greater for D20-P vs CON (mean ± SEM, 584 ± 81 vs 364 ± 66 min, p =0.001) and D40 (385 ± 72 min, p =0.003). Conclusions/interpretation Post-exercise adjustment of degludec does not mitigate the risk of subsequent nocturnal hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 diabetes. Although reducing degludec reduced next-day time below range, this did not translate into fewer hypoglycaemic events, while postponing degludec should be avoided because of increased time above range. Altogether, these data do not support degludec dose adjustment after a single exercise bout. Trial registration EudraCT number 2019-004222-22 Funding The study was funded by an unrestricted grant from Novo Nordisk, Denmark. Graphical abstract