Study finds long-acting insulin more effective for type I diabetes

[Northerner]

A recent study published in The BMJ suggests that long-acting insulin may be a safer and more effective treatment than intermediate-acting insulin for patients with type I diabetes.

In a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 39 studies, Dr. Andrea Tricco, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and lead author of the study, compared long-acting insulin to intermediate-acting insulin. She found that in patients with type I diabetes, long-acting insulin was more effective in preventing weight gain and severe hypoglycemia.

Long-acting insulin analogs such as glargine and detemir regulate glucose levels in the bloodstream uniformly over a 24-hour period and take effect three to four hours after injection into the bloodstream, whereas intermediate-acting insulin analogs such as NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn) and lente are taken one to three hours after ingestion, and can last up to 16 hours.

http://thevarsity.ca/2014/10/19/study-finds-long-acting-insulin-more-effective-for-type-i-diabetes/

Eh? Have I gone back in time 20 years? 🙄

 

[HOBIE]

Are they spending money on this ? 😱

 

[Sally71]

I think the tell-tale line in that report is that "they hope that patients and their physicians can determine their choice of insulin according to their cost and accessibility". So they are not really interested in which one is best for the patient's health then, only which is cheapest!

I don't really know how well we would have managed on MDI, but my daughter's current basal rate on school days varies from 0.18 units/hour mid morning to 0.90 overnight, with most of that increase happening early evening just to stop the BGs going through the roof as soon as she gets into bed. In fact I'm probably going to have to increase it again overnight. I very much doubt that there is any long acting insulin which could deal with that effectively!

 

[Riri]

Gobsmacked! I like the comment 'glargine regulate glucose in the bloodstream uniformly over a period of 24 hours'. Does it heck as like!!!

 

[Redkite]

Gobsmacked! I like the comment 'glargine regulate glucose in the bloodstream uniformly over a period of 24 hours'. Does it heck as like!!!

I agree! It was completely NOT uniform for my son, and lasted about 18-19 hours tops! What IS this rubbish?!!!