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Assessment of an insulin regime and monitoring techniques in juvenile diabetics
Author(s) -
DARLOW BRIAN A.,
ABBOTT GEORGE D.,
BEAVEN D. W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1980.tb01274.x
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin , hypoglycemia , juvenile , diabetes mellitus , urine , regular insulin , endocrinology , pediatrics , physiology , genetics , biology
Daily profiles of blood glucose values were obtained in hospital and at home from a group of 25 juvenile diabetics utilizing capillary blood samples and a reflectance meter. Most children were treated with twice daily injections of amorphous insulin zinc suspension (Semilente Insulin). Children tolerated the finger pricks well and all families found the procedure at least as easy as urine testing. In the four‐day test period there were 26 episodes of hypoglycaemia in 13 children (52%) and 13 episodes overnight in 9 children (35%). The mean insulin dose for children with one or less hypoglycaemic episode was 0.65 u/kg/day and with two or more episodes was 0.96 u/kg/day (p<0.01). Widely fluctuating blood glucose levels and a tendency to nocturnal hypoglycaemia were frequently observed in children on the twice daily semilente insulin regime regardless of dose. Recommendations are made regarding a more suitable regime. The effect on control of residual pancreatic function and presence of insulin antibodies is discussed.