Insulin glargine has a longer action than compared to NPH insulin, but whether this results in improved control when used as a once-nightly or morning basal insulin injection in type 2 diabetic patients who are inadequately controlled on combination oral agents has been controversial. Inner city ethnic minority patients with diabetes are a particularly challenging population of diabetic patients to treat. This study investigates whether insulin glargine may be a more effective or safer first-line basal insulin than NPH in this population.