Effects of Mealtime Insulin Aspart and Bedtime NPH Insulin on Postprandial Inflammation and Endothelial Cell Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Effects of mealtime insulin aspart and bedtime neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin on postprandial coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with type 2 diabetes

AIM

Acute hyperglycaemia induces coagulation activation in diabetes patients. We hypothesized that rapid-acting insulin has a beneficial postprandial effect on coagulation and fibrinolysis compared with intermediate-acting insulin because of its ability to lower postprandial hyperglycaemia.

METHODS

This was tested in a parallel controlled study in well-controlled patients with type 2 diabetes assigned to bedtime neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin (n = 41) or mealtime insulin aspart (n = 37). They were served standard diabetic meals for breakfast (8:00 hours) and lunch (12:00 hours). Blood samples were collected at 7:40 hours (fasting), 9:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 15:30 hours and analysed for glucose, activated factor VII (FVIIa), D-dimer, prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity (PAI).

RESULTS

The postprandial glucose response differed significantly between insulin regimens with a postprandial increase on NPH insulin and a decrease on insulin aspart. There was a significant postprandial decrease in F1+2, PAI and t-PA, and no changes in FVIIa and D-dimer, on both insulin regimens, but with no differences between insulin treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The rapid-acting insulin analogue aspart and the intermediate-acting insulin NPH had similar postprandial effects on markers of coagulation activation and fibrinolysis despite different effects on postprandial glucose response.