Objective: To evaluate day-to-day variations of insulin needs in type 2 diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance hemodialysis.
Research design and methods: We developed a 24-h euglycemic clamp in patients who received an average of 2,200 calories in a standardized three-meal and two-snack regimen per day, adjusted to body size and sex. Intravenous insulin was adjusted every 30 min to achieve 5.5 +/- 1.1 mmol/l glycemia over 24 h prehemodialysis, during hemodialysis session, and 24 h posthemodialysis in 10 type 2 diabetic patients, aged 55.7 +/- 8.7 years with 11.9 +/- 4.5 years diabetes duration, undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for 2.3 +/- 2.3 years. Insulin requirements were derived from the dose of insulin administered to maintain euglycemia per period of time and day-to-day comparisons performed.
Results: Mean capillary glycemia was 5.5 +/- 0.3 mmol/l prehemodialysis and 5.3 +/- 0.2 mmol/l posthemodialysis (P = 0.39). Pre- and posthemodialysis areas under the glucose curve were comparable. This was achieved by infusing 23.6 +/- 7.7 IU/24 h prehemodialysis vs. 19.9 +/- 4.9 IU/24 h posthemodialysis, indicating a 15.3% decrease posthemodialysis (P = 0.09). Basal insulin needs decreased from 0.4 +/- 0.1/h prehemodialysis to 0.3 +/- 0.1/h posthemodialysis (P = 0.01). Total boluses were decreased by 2.2 +/- 3.1 IU (P = 0.15). Changes in blood urea did not correlate with changes in insulin needs (r = 0.1, P = 0.79).
Conclusions: The present study has demonstrated a significant 25% reduction in basal insulin requirements the day after dialysis compared with the day before. No significant change in boluses was observed, and overall the reduction of total insulin requirements was -15% equivalent to -4 IU/day posthemodialysis of marginal statistical significance.