Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Levels with Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Type I Diabetes Mellitus

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-95-4-426

Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Levels with Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Type I Diabetes Mellitus

FREDERICK L. DUNN, M.D.;
ANGEL PIETRI, M.D.; and
PHILIP RASKIN, M.D.

Dallas, Texas

Abstract

Plasma lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were measured in 10 insulin-dependent (Type I) diabetics taking their usual dose of conventionally administered insulin during 6 months of a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion delivered with a small, portable, battery-powered pump. With this insulin delivery system we were able to provide near normal glucoregulation 24 hours a day for the entire study. This improved glucoregulation resulted in significant reductions in total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride, and very low density and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels within 2 to 4 weeks of treatment. These changes persisted for the entire 6 months of observation. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels rose significantly after 2 months of treatment and continued to increase during the 6-month study. These changes in plasma lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in response to treatment with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion would favorably alter the predicted risk for the development of premature atherosclerosis in these patients.

Article and Author Information

▸From Department of Internal Medicine, Southwestern Medical School, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, and the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center; Dallas, Texas.
Grant support: in part by grants AM18179, AM2700, 1-M01-RR0063, AM07307, and contract N01-M62219, National Institutes of Health; grant 549-8000-1, Veterans Administration Institutional Research Support Grant; and the American Heart Association. Dr. Dunn is a recipient of the Fellowship Award of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Dr. Raskin was a Clinical Investigator at the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center.
▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Philip Raskin, M.D.; Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas; 5323 Harry Hines Blvd.; Dallas, TX 75235.