[Insulin-induced lipoatrophy in children]

Abstract

Insulin-induced lipoatrophy is a rare but serious complication of insulin treatment. Its incidence decreased during 1970' and 1980's, but several reports of this phenomenon have again recently been published. Traditional treatment options have included injecting insulin or pump cannula to the area surrounding the lipoatrophy or changing the insulin type or preparation. In this report we present 4 children who developed severe lipoatrophy during insulin pump treatment. Changing injection sites did not help but lipoatrophy disappeared in one patient after changing the insulin preparation. In the three other patients no new atrophy sites have appeared after change in insulin preparation or simultaneous treatment with local pimecrolimus or sodium cromoglicate.