The potential role of insulin analogues in the treatment of children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus

The main therapeutic challenge in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes is maintenance of near-normoglycaemia in order to prevent long-term complications and avoid hypoglycaemia. This goal is relevant from the onset of the disease and is feasible if physiological models of insulin replacement are used and patients are educated in the strategy of intensive insulin therapy. Although the use of available insulins within a multiple injection regimen has improved, metabolic control it is still far from being optimal. The recent introduction of insulin analogues with a short- and long-acting profile seems promising in improving metabolic control and quality of care. Insulin lispro and insulin aspart, the short-acting insulin analogues offer a better post-prandial profile, while insulin glargine the new long-acting insulin analogue might provide better overnight control. In fact, the theoretical combination of an acute prandial insulin peak with a flat interprandial and overnight plasma profile would closely mimic the 24-hr insulin profile of non-diabetic individuals. This would possibly lead to lower post-prandial blood glucose excursion and better fasting blood glucose associated with minimal risk of hypoglycaemia. The possible reduction of hypoglycaemia is especially important in children as recurrent episodes might represent a potential risk for cognitive impairment. However, recent clinical research on the short-acting insulin analogues demonstrates the difficulties of translating these theoretical benefits into clinical relevant advantages. This might happen to other insulin analogues and requires further and larger studies in order to fully exploit the theoretical advantages of insulin analogues in the paediatric population. Safety issues should also be carefully monitored when introducting analogues in long-term therapy. Diab. Nutr. Metab. 14: 349-357. 2001. (C) 2001, Editrice Kurtis.