The addition of acarbose to insulin lispro reduces acute glycaemic responses in patients with type-2 diabetes

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Insulin Lispro in this randomized controlled trial publication.

A total of nine blood samples (for parameter assessment) were taken at 30-minute intervals.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 30 patients were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

A total of 30 type 2 diabetic patients currently treated with insulin were included.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Insulin Lispro and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Insulin Lispro, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Insulin Lispro, giving a reference point.

In the crossover set-up each of the patients took both Insulin Lispro and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

What Was Measured

A total of nine blood samples (for parameter assessment) were taken at 30-minute intervals.

The subject headings attached to it are Acarbose, Blood Glucose, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Food, Hyperglycemia, Hypoglycemic Agents and Insulin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Insulin Lispro in 30 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2004 (Experimental and clinical endocrinology & diabetes : official journal, German Society of Endocrinology [and] German Diabetes Association), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Insulin Lispro compound page, all human trials.