Use of human ultralente as the basal insulin component in treatment of patients with IDDM

To determine the suitability of a single subcutaneous evening injection of human ultralente (UL) as the basal component of an intensive insulin therapy program, insulin concentrations were measured in five insulin-dependent diabetic volunteers over a 40-h period. Each patient had been maintained on a human UL-based program for at least one month prior to the study. All short-acting insulin was withheld during the study. The onset of action of human UL was 2 to 4 h, and a broad, variable peak was observed between 6 and 12 h after each injection. We concluded that human UL does not provide constant basal insulin concentrations. When human UL is considered as part of an intensive insulin therapy program, this potential disadvantage must be weighed against the potential advantage of low antigenicity.