OBJECTIVE—Type 2 diabetes is associated with defects in insulin secretion and insulin action. Hyperglycemia may aggravate these defects, a feature known as glucose toxicity. Previous studies have shown that acute correction of hyperglycemia in subjects with long-standing type 2 diabetes gives only short-term improvement in glycemic control after discontinuation of insulin. The current study attempts to identify any characteristics of patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (fasting glucose >300mg/dL) who would have a long-term benefit, in terms of glycemic control, from a brief course of insulin therapy.