Changes in Basal Insulin Infusion Rates With Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion

doi:10.2337/dc09-0595

Changes in Basal Insulin Infusion Rates With Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion

Time until a change in metabolic effect is induced in patients with type 1 diabetes

¹Profil Institut für Stoffwechselforschung GmbH, Neuss, Germany;
²Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany;
³Disetronic Medical Systems AG, Burgdorf, Switzerland.

Corresponding author: Lutz Heinemann, lutz.heinemann{at}profil-research.de.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Evaluation of the time required until a change in the basal insulin infusion rate with an insulin pump induces subsequent changes in the metabolic effect.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this euglycemic glucose clamp study, 10 male subjects with type 1 diabetes received three different subcutaneous insulin infusion rates (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 units/h; for 4 h each) of insulin lispro (IL) with insulin pumps.

RESULTS An increase in insulinemia occurred within 15–30 min after changing the infusion rate. While the serum IL levels reached a steady state at the end of the infusion period, the glucose infusion rates did not always reach steady-state levels with the higher infusion rates. However, an increase in the glucose consumption occurred within 30–60 min after switching the infusion rate.

CONCLUSIONS Several hours are required until a new steady state in the metabolic effect is achieved after a significant change in basal insulin infusion.

Footnotes

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- Received March 26, 2009.
- Accepted May 15, 2009.
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