Diabetes Care, Vol 20, Issue 7 1061-1065, Copyright © 1997 by American Diabetes Association
Stability of insulin lispro in insulin infusion systems
WD Lougheed, B Zinman, TR Strack, LJ Janis, AB Weymouth, EA Bernstein, AM Korbas and BH Frank
LTBO (Loyal True Blue & Orange) Research Institute, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.
OBJECTIVE: To test stability of insulin lispro in two insulin infusion
systems over 48 h. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used reverse-phase and
size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine
the purity, potency, and degree of polymerization of U100 insulin lispro
(Humalog) after 24- and 48-h pump cycles conducted at 37 degrees C in five
Disetronic H-TRON V100 and five MiniMed 504 pumps. Pumps were set to
deliver a basal rate of 0.5 U/h and 6-U boluses at t = 0, 4, 8, 24, 24.5,
28.5, 32.5, and 48 h during each cycle. The effluent was collected into
1-ml vials, pooled at 24 or 48 h, and stored at 4 degrees C until assay.
After each 48-h run period of insulin delivery, assays for potency,
polymer, and purity were performed on the pooled samples from each
individual cycle. m-cresol content and the pooled reservoir content were
assayed in the 48-h pooled samples. RESULTS: Insulin lispro retained full
HPLC potency (delta < or = 4%) at 48 h, with no degradation of insulin
lispro to des-amidoinsulin forms (24 or 48 h). No increase in pumped
insulin polymer concentration was observed following 24 h of pump flow.
Nonsignificant increases of < or =0.09% (Disetronic) and < or =0.15%
(MiniMed) from initial concentrations of 0.18% (polymer divided by total
insulin) were detected in three of five pump cycles at 48 h when compared
with 37 degrees C paired controls. Nonsignificant decreases (<5 and 10%,
Disetronic and MiniMed, respectively) of m-cresol content occurred in both
systems following 48 h storage in each device, but sterility was not
compromised by this decrease (initial m-cresol concentration, 3.15 mg/ml).
Pump performance was without mechanical or electrical fault throughout the
study Basal and bolus insulin delivery was evaluated three times daily and
remained as expected. Occlusion of catheters by insulin precipitation did
not occur, and no change in pH was observed following delivery.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that insulin lispro is suitable for prolonged
infusion in these two medical devices when syringes and catheters are
replaced at 48-h intervals.