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More Uniform Diurnal Blood Glucose Control and a Reduction in Daily Insulin Dosage on Addition of Glibenclamide to Insulin in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Role of Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity
Author(s) -
McCoy S.,
Kabadi M.,
Kabadi U.M.,
Birkenholz M.
Publication year - 1995
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.1464-5491.1995.tb00390.x
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin , endocrinology , postprandial , diabetes mellitus , glibenclamide , type 2 diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes
Combination therapy with insulin and sulphonylurea has gained acceptance in management of subjects with Type 2 (non‐insulin‐dependent) diabetes mellitus. However, its role in management of Type 1 (insulin‐dependent) diabetes mellitus remains controversial. In this study, the effect of combination therapy with insulin and glibenclamide on metabolic control, daily insulin dosage, and insulin sensitivity was assessed in subjects with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Ten men with Type 1 diabetes mellitus participated in a randomized, double‐blind, crossover, clinical trial with three treatment regimens, namely (1) insulin alone, (2) insulin and placebo, (3) insulin and glibenclamide, each lasting 3 months. Combination therapy induced: (1) reduction in daily insulin dosage; (2) more uniform blood glucose control as reflected by a lower average 24 h blood glucose level, a smaller difference between mean preprandial and 2 h postprandial blood glucose concentrations, decreased 24 h urine glucose excretion, and a decline in number of hypoglycaemic events; (3) improved insulin sensitivity as expressed by more rapid plasma glucose disappearance rate, without a significant alteration in fasting plasma glucagon and 1 h postprandial serum C‐peptide levels; when compared with treatment with either insulin alone or with insulin and placebo. Therefore, it is apparent that the addition of glibenclamide to insulin reduces daily insulin dosage and renders a greater uniformity to diurnal blood glucose control, most probably secondary to enhancement of insulin sensitivity.