Factors influencing preference of insulin regimen in people with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.

The two commonest insulin regimens in current use in the UK are twice daily administration of short- and intermediate-acting insulins in combination, and soluble insulin before meals with intermediate-acting insulin at bed-time (basal-bolus regimen). A cross-sectional sample of patients with type 1 diabetes was studied using either a twice daily insulin regimen (n = 30) or a basal-bolus regimen (n = 30), to assess their satisfaction with choice of insulin regimen and to examine the relationships between type of insulin regimen, personality, demographic variables and glycaemic control. Patients treated with a basal-bolus insulin regimen tended to be younger (P = 0.07), had an earlier onset of type 1 diabetes (P = 0.04), adjusted their dose of insulin more frequently (P = 0.01), had received more secondary and further education (P = 0.03), belonged to a higher socio-economic class, tended to be unmarried (P = 0.07) and were less likely to be smokers (P = 0.03), than the group treated with twice daily administration of insulin. Current and previous glycaemic control assessed by glycated haemoglobin concentration, showed no correlation with type of insulin regimen, demographic data or personality variables.