[Changes in the level of anti-insulin antibodies and circulating immune complexes in diabetics treated with human insulin or monocomposed porcine insulin for a year. A multicenter study]

Abstract

A double-blind multicentre study was performed during 1 year in 54 insulin-dependent diabetics, comparing human hemi-synthetic insulin and porcine MC-insulin. Anti-insulin antibodies and circulating immune-complexes significantly decreased in the human insulin group and were stable in the porcine insulin group. The level of antibodies was higher in patients with insulinic lipodystrophies. HbA1c, C-peptide, glucagon-stimulated levels and the number of hypoglycemias, were not significantly different in the two groups. These results confirm that human insulin is less antigenic than porcine insulin.