To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: DG DISPATCH - ADA: Humalog Reduces Hypoglycaemic Reactions In Younger Diabetics URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/10BC42.htm Doctor's Guide June 22, 1999
By Cameron Johnston Special to DG News SAN DIEGO, CA -- June 22, 1999 -- More intensive and aggressive treatment of type I diabetes has been shown to result in a substantial decrease in mean hemoglobin values, but also lead to an increase in the number of hypoglycaemic reactions, according to the 1993 Diabetes Complications and Control Trial (DCCT). Switching from natural human insulin to Eli Lilly & Co.'s insulin Lispro (humalog) has now been shown to lead to a further reduction in HbA1c as well as in a significant reduction in hypoglycaemic reactions. Researchers at Eli Lilly and at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, in Denver, reported these findings at the American Diabetes Association's 59th annual scientific sessions. One of the immediate observations from the more intense treatment favoured by the DCCT was a 14 percent increase in the incidence of severe hypoglycaemic reactions. These reactions all required either hospitalisation or other forms of emergency intervention. The good news emanating from the DCCT, however, was that glycated hemoglobin measurements declined by a mean score of 2.4 percent, which is considered a significant improvement. The researchers followed 696 insulin dependent diabetics, means age 18, including 111 who were under the age of 10 years, to determine whether changing their insulin regimen would alter the incidence of hypoglycaemic reactions. Switching from human regular insulin to Humalog further reduced HbA1c levels by 1.3 percent and reduced the incidence of hypoglycaemic reactions by 15 percent per year when adjusted for age and duration. There was no difference in the number of shots per day that the patients were using, nor was there any difference in side effects when they were changed from one form of insulin to the other. The DCCT also demonstrated that the risk of microvascular damage, including retinopathy, nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy, could be lessened with more intensive management of the diabetes. The University of Colorado study seems to indicate that the side effects which result from more intense management of the disease can be reduced by switching patients to insulin Lispro. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.