Treatment with Human Insulin (recombinant DNA) in Diabetic Subjects Pretreated with Pork or Beef Insulin: First Results of a Multicenter Study

In two double-blind studies 66 insulin-dependent diabetic subjects pretreated with pork insulin were changed to human insulin (recombinant DNA) or a purified pork insulin preparation (regular and NPH insulin). Sixty-five patients previously pretreated with beef insulin were transferred, in a randomized, double-blind fashion, to human insulin and purified beef insulin of the same preparations (regular and NPH insulin). Patients’ metabolic control, as demonstrated by fasting and 1-h postprandial blood glucose, HbA_1c, and daily insulin dosage, over 4 mo was unchanged in our four groups compared with the values before changing insulin preparation. No severe hypoglycemic attacks or skin reactions were reported.