Elderly patient with long-standing diabetes achieved sustained insulin independence through lifestyle intervention
Last updated May 29, 2026
Key finding
A 78-year-old man with 40 years of type 2 diabetes and 31 years of insulin therapy discontinued insulin and maintained glycemic control for 77 months after an intensive lifestyle intervention.
This case report describes a 78-year-old man who stopped using insulin after starting a structured lifestyle program and remained insulin-free for over six years. As a single-patient case report without a control group, it shows what happened in one individual but cannot prove the intervention caused the outcome.
Quick read
Study at a glance
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EvidenceScore™
Low
Study type
non-randomized clinical trial (non-RCT or NRCT)
Follow-up
Long-Term (> 12 mo)
Risk of bias
High Risk
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Plain-language summary
What this paper says
A plain-language read of the study’s main message and where it applies.
Study focus
A 78-year-old man with 40 years of type 2 diabetes and 31 years of insulin therapy discontinued insulin and maintained glycemic control for 77 months after an intensive lifestyle intervention.
Published in
Journal Reference
Publication details and source links for this paper.
Sustained Insulin Independence Following Lifestyle Intervention in a 78-Year-Old Patient With Long-Standing Type 2 Diabetes: A Six-Year Follow-Up Case Report. Cureus. 2026;[publication details not available]. PMCID:PMC13181349
Main Effects
Insulin discontinuation: Insulin withdrawn in first month and remained discontinued at 77-month follow-up
HbA1c stable: HbA1c decreased from 7.0% to 6.6% at 10 months and maintained at 6.6% at 77 months
Weight and metabolic markers improved: Weight, BMI, triglycerides, HDL, and hs-CRP all improved
Evidence Suggest
- This is a single-patient case report describing outcomes in one 78-year-old man.
- The intervention included multiple simultaneous components, making it impossible to isolate which elements contributed to outcomes.
- The patient continued oral diabetes medication (gliclazide) throughout follow-up.
- Preserved C-peptide and fasting insulin at 77 months indicate residual beta-cell function.
Who this applies to
One 78-year-old man with 40-year history of type 2 diabetes
Keep in Mind
This is a case report of one patient, not a controlled trial.
Between the Lines
- Single-patient case report with no control or comparison group.
- Multiple intervention components introduced simultaneously.
- Continuation of oral diabetes medication (gliclazide) throughout follow-up period.
- No way to determine if outcomes were due to the intervention or natural disease variability.
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