Continuous intravenous insulin therapy with a miniaturized open-loop system.
For the continuous intravenous application of insulin, a portable open-loop system was developed consisting of a delivery unit with a miniaturized pump and an insulin reservoir which is connected with an electronic control unit. The infusion rates were either preprogrammed or patient-controlled. Blood glucose control with both systems was tested in eight juvenile-type diabetics, among them two of the brittle type. Diabetic control during a 1-2-day pre-infusion period was compared with 2-3 days of continuous insulin infusion; as judged by the mean blood glucose value (MBG), the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), and glucosuria, all patients were significantly better controlled by the open-loop systems than by conventional therapy with subcutaneous insulin. The use of portable open-loop systems offers a promising approach to an improvement of metabolic control in insulin-requiring diabetics.
D000328:Adult; D001187:Artificial Organs; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006029:Glycosuria; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin