Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetes is characterized by an increase in abdominal fat. This results in a decrease in lean body mass and increase in insulin resistance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible relationship between body composition and insulin regimen modality in type 1 diabetic patients.

Materials and methods: Ninety-two type 1 diabetic patient followed in our institution were included in the study. Patients were classified into two groups according to the type of insulin regime; multiple dose insulin injection (MDI) and insulin pump therapy (CSII). Sex and age of the patients and each of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HbA1c levels were recorded. BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio were calculated. Body composition analysis were done with bioelectric impedance analysis method and body fat percentage, total body water, fat mass and fat-free mass were recorded. Differences in demographic data, anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters, among MDI and CSII groups were evaluated.

Results: Forty-one of the patients were male. Sixty-one patient constituted the MDI group and the resting 31 the CSII group. When the two groups were compared according to age, FPG, lipid parameters and HbA1c; only FPG was found significantly different. There were no significant differences in any of the anthropometric measurements among two groups.

Conclusion: In our study, FPG was significantly lower in the CSII group while HbA1c did not show any significant difference among groups. Body composition parameters were found to be similar among two groups. Preferential fat accumulation in abdominal region may harden the insülin regimen and worsen the glysemic control especially in the CSII treatment group. But in our study HbA1c values were comparable among two groups. Studies with larger patient numbers may help to demonstrate this possible difference among this two treatment groups.