1. Introduction
glucotoxicity, T2D
TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS
Global impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) reaches pandemic proportions [Over the course of T2D progression, increasing doses and number of glucose-lowering medications are typically required, often leading to introduction of insulin treatment, once BC capacity is apparently exhausted. Such insulin treatment represents a form of exogenous replacement of a hormonal deficiency. On the other hand, early insulin treatment aimed at rapid elimination of glucotoxicity and BC recovery could represent a form of disease-modifying treatment [Affordable but reliable testing of BC secretory function is still elusive. Oral-based dynamic tests are attractive due to ease of clinical use and incorporation of incretin activation effects [The aim of our study was to assess beta cell (BC) secretory response to a standardized test meal in newly diagnosed T2D subjects and to compare the effect of early short-term insulin treatment vs. glimepiride, both added to metformin, on BC function, glycemic control and lipid metabolism, during a 12-month follow-up.