Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 11, 2026

Homogeneous Time-resolved Förster Resonance Energy Transfer-based Assay for Detection of Insulin Secretion
Published on: May 10, 2018
Circulating IGF-I concentrations are low and not correlated to glycaemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes
B Ekman1, F Nyström, H J Arnqvist
1Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Bertil.Ekman@lio.se
Objective:
To study plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in adults with type 1 diabetes (IDDM) in comparison with a reference population, and the influence of glycaemic control, dose of insulin, and sex on the concentration of circulating IGF-I in IDDM.
Design And Methods:
Patients with type 1 diabetes were recruited consecutively from our outpatient diabetes unit. In all, 79 men and 55 women aged 20-60 years with a disease duration >/=6 years (range 6-51 years) took part in the study. A reference population of 80 men and 83 women aged 20-60 years was randomly obtained from the population registry. IGF-I was measured with radioimmunoassay after acid-ethanol extraction.
Results:
Mean +/- s. d. values of IGF-I were lower in patients with diabetes (146+/-66 microg/l) than in controls (238+/-83 microg/l, P<0.001). Those with diabetes had lower IGF-I concentrations in all age groups and the differences were highly significant in all decades except in women aged 50-59 years. IGF-I was negatively correlated with age in patients and controls. No correlation was found between IGF-I and glycaemic control measured as haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) in the patients. IGF-I was positively associated with the dose of insulin/kg body weight in male patients independently of age, HbA(1c) and body mass index (P<0.03), but not in female patients (P=0.14).
Conclusions:
Our data show that IGF-I concentrations are low in adult patients with type 1 diabetes with a disease duration >/=6 years, independently of glycaemic control. This suggests that subcutaneous insulin substitution is inadequate to normalize circulating IGF-I concentrations in patients without endogenous insulin secretion.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Type I Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
Hypoglycemia
Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
