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A Comparison of Semisynthetic Human NPH Insulin and Porcine NPH Insulin in the Treatment of Insulin‐dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Author(s) -
Pedersen C.,
Høegholm A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1987.tb00885.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nph insulin , insulin , diabetes mellitus , human insulin , endocrinology , type 2 diabetes , insulin glargine
Twenty‐two insulin‐dependent diabetic patients participated in a double‐blind, cross‐over study, where treatment with semisynthetic human NPH insulin (Novo Industri) was compared with porcine NPH insulin (Nordisk). Each treatment period lasted 8 weeks. Blood glucose level, glycosylated haemoglobin, insulin requirements, and frequency of hypoglycaemic events were compared. No difference was found in 24‐hour blood glucose profiles. Fasting blood glucose level was 8.3 mmol/l during treatment with human insulin and 8.7 mmol/l during treatment with porcine insulin ( p <0.1). Mean HbA 1c was 7.7% at the end of study compared to 9.5% at baseline ( p <0.01), but this decline in HbA 1c was independent of the treatment regimen. Forty‐six hypoglycaemic events occurred during treatment with human insulin compared to 39 events during treatment with porcine insulin. No difference was found regarding insulin requirements during the study. It is concluded that semisynthetic human NPH insulin is indistinguishable from porcine NPH insulin with respect to 24‐hour blood glucose profile, HbA 1c level and insulin dose requirements.