A comparative study of the effects of needle free (INJEX30) versus insulin pen injection on insulin absorption in diabetic patients / 中华内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of the needle free injection system (INJEX30) and insulin pen on insulin absorption and glycemic control in diabetic patients.Methods A total of 30 diabetic patients on insulin therapy without obvious complications were enrolled in the study with average BMI of 25.24 kg/m2.A comparison study was carried out in those subjects with the INJEX30 and insulin pen at 1 st day and 5th day.After an overnight fasting of 8-10 h,a standard mixed meal(50 g bread,50 g egg and 250 ml milk) was given to each patient.Blood samples at 0,20,40,60 min of the standard mixed meal were collected to test plasma glucose,serum insulin and C peptide.Results No difference was shown in fasting plasma glucose,serum insulin and C peptide between the patients with the two injection methods.The area under the curve (AUC) of plasma glucose and serum C peptide was significantly lower after the INJEX30 injection than that after insulin pen injection [plasma glucose AUC (542 ± 172) min · mmol · L-1 vs (601 ±199) min· mmol · L-1,P ＜0.01; C peptide AUC (70 ±53) min · μg · L-1 vs (80 ±58) min · μg · L-1,P ＜0.01].The AUC of serum insulin was significantly higher after the INJEX30 injection than that after insulin pen injection [serum insulin AUC(5621 ± 3790) min · mIU · L-1 vs(4285 ± 3376) min · mIU · L-1,P ＜0.01].No difference was found in the AUC of serum insulin between the two injection methods in the patients with BMI below 25.24 kg/m2,while the AUC of serum insulin was significantly higher after the INJEX30 injection than the insulin pen injection in the patients with BMI above 25.24 kg/m2 [serum insulin AUC(6453 ± 4099) min · mIU · L-1 vs (4879 ± 3701) min · mIU · L-1,P ＜0.01].Conclusion The INJEX30 improves the serum insulin level which may lead to a beneficial effect on the glycemic control.Such effect is more obvious in the overweight patients.