Improvement of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. Ambulatory type I diabetics treated with the subcutaneous insulin pump

Abstract

Twelve ambulatory patients (6 women and 6 men; mean age, 29 yr) with type I diabetes were treated with a continuous s.c. open-loop insulin pump in an attempt to effect better glucose control. HbA1, mean blood glucose, total cholesterol, total triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and the cholesterol/HDL-C ratio were assessed monthly before and after glucoregulation from 5-14 mo. (mean, 9 mo.). Mean HDL-C levels increased significantly (52 .+-. 4 to 60 .+-. 5 mg/dl); mean cholesterol/HDL-C ratios decreased significantly (4.46 .+-. 0.43 to 3.89 .+-. 0.39). Mean values for triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-C, all initially normal, did not change. Both mean Hb A1 levels and glucose levels fell from 11.2% .+-. 0.5% to 9.8% .+-. 0.5% and 177 .+-. 15 mg/dl to 128 .+-. 12 mg/dl, respectively. Insulin requirements decreased from 0.80 .+-. 0.08 to 0.61 .+-. 0.05 U/kg per 24 h. These results may favorably alter the prediction for development of accelerated atherosclerosis in type I diabetics.