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[Semisynthetic human insulin in the treatment of diabetes type I. Preliminary experience]
The recent availability of human insulin raised the question of evaluating its effectiveness in comparison with traditional animal insulins in the treatment of type I diabetics. 9 long-term CSII treated type I diabetics were shifted from pork insulin to human semisynthetic insulin and followed up to 8 months. The following parameters were evaluated: basal insulin infusion allowing morning blood glucose of 100-140 mg/dl and the serum insulin binding capacity (Bio-Merieux). 5 subjects did not show any variation of basal insulin requirement whereas in 4 subjects the occurrence of hypoglycemia induced a reduction of basal insulin requirement of 15%, 16%, 27% and 15%, after 1,2,2 and 8 months respectively, from the shift to human insulin. Serum insulin binding capacity was undetectable in 3 subjects, unchanged in 4, slightly decreasing in 2. One of these two exhibited as well a decrease of basal insulin requirement (16%), while in the other the state of pregnancy prevented its precise assessment. In conclusion human insulin appears as effective as pork insulin; further studies are needed to confirm the suggestions of its lower immunogenicity.
The recent availability of human insulin raised the question of evaluating its effectiveness in comparison with traditional animal insulins in the treatment of type I diabetics. 9 long-term CSII treated type I diabetics were shifted from pork insulin to human semisynthetic insulin and followed up to 8 months. The following parameters were evaluated: basal insulin infusion allowing morning blood glucose of 100-140 mg/dl and the serum insulin binding capacity (Bio-Merieux). 5 subjects did not show any variation of basal insulin requirement whereas in 4 subjects the occurrence of hypoglycemia induced a reduction of basal insulin requirement of 15%, 16%, 27% and 15%, after 1,2,2 and 8 months respectively, from the shift to human insulin. Serum insulin binding capacity was undetectable in 3 subjects, unchanged in 4, slightly decreasing in 2. One of these two exhibited as well a decrease of basal insulin requirement (16%), while in the other the state of pregnancy prevented its precise assessment. In conclusion human insulin appears as effective as pork insulin; further studies are needed to confirm the suggestions of its lower immunogenicity.