Insulin-binding antibodies in serum of diabetic children treated with monocomponent insulin.

Abstract

Levels of insulin-binding antibodies belonging to the IgG class were studied in diabetic children: 1) treated with monocomponent (MC) insulin Actrapid, semilente and lente Novo for 8–16 months (10 children); in 4 of these children the serum level of insulin-binding antibodies was followed up during a period of 5–7 months after changing MC insulin to commercial insulin; 2) treated with commercial insulin for 23 months to 12 years after diagnosis of diabetes (9 children). In 4 patients treated with MC insulin, antibody levels did not exceed threshold value (0.05 mU/ml). In 6 children insulin antibody levels rose markedly after virus infections (in 3 cases), bacterial infections (2 cases) and during treatment with polyvaccine (1 case). Insulin-binding antibody levels rose distinctly during treatment with commercial insulin in patients previously treated with MC insulin. In children suffering from diabetes of many years standing treated with commercial insulin, serum levels of insulin-binding antibodies were high (2.0 to 7.6 mU/ml), and in patients treated without insulin the serum contained no insulin-binding antibodies. The insulin requirement of the patients was not related to levels of insulin-binding antibodies.