title: Blood rheology during an intensified conventional insulin treatment (ICIT) in insulin-dependent diabetes.
abstract: Fifteen insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients with minor diabetic complications underwent an intensified conventional insulin treatment (ICIT) program consisting of multiple daily insulin injections with an insulin pen. Blood viscosity parameters were measured before the start, after 6 weeks, 1 and 2 years with a Contraves LS30 viscosimeter. At the start several rheological parameters were disturbed in the diabetic subjects. Mean total hemoglobin A1 (HbA1) significantly (at least P less than 0.05) decreased while the plasma free insulin level significantly increased (at least P less than 0.05) under ICIT. During the first 6 weeks hematocrit (P less than 0.01), plasma (P less than 0.05), whole blood (P less than 0.05) and erythrocyte (P less than 0.01) viscosities significantly decreased but they increased again at 1 year of ICIT. Only plasma viscosity (P less than 0.05) remained below the starting value after 1 and 2 years. Normalization of the blood sugar level improved plasma and whole blood viscosity by an insulin-induced dilution phenomenon after 6 weeks. The persisting decrease in plasma viscosity was accompanied by a significant alteration of the plasma protein profile. These findings suggest that metabolic status influences blood rheology in IDDM patients but by different mechanisms on a short- or long-term basis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Acker
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rillaerts
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Gaal
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Leeuw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin