Variation in 125I-insulin absorption and blood glucose concentration.

The absorption of monocomponent porcine 125I-insulin Monotard and Isophane was studied in six insulin dependent diabetic patients over a period of 12 days. The absorption of insulin was measured as the disappearance of radioactivity from sites of injection. The daily 125I-insulin doses ranged from 20 to 48 IU between patients. The insulin absorbed varied considerably within and between patients. The range of individual daily absorbed insulin varied from 19 to 104 per cent of the 125I-insulin dose. A significant correlation (p less than 0.05) was found between insulin absorption and blood glucose concentration. Insulin absorption rates were relatively high before all hypoglycaemic episodes and reactive hyperglycaemia was only observed when relatively low insulin absorption rates followed the hypoglycaemic attack. The results show that lability in some insulin dependent diabetics is explained by variation in insulin absorption.