Objective: To evaluate the progression of retinopathy during pregnancy and postpartum in (insulin-dependent) women with type 1 diabetes treated with insulin lispro or with regular human insulin.
Research design and methods: A prospective open study of 69 pregnant women with diabetes was performed. A total of 36 of the women were treated with insulin lispro (lispro group) and 33 were treated with conventional short-acting human insulin (regular insulin group). The retinopathy level was estimated by color fundus photography every trimester and postpartum. Glycemic control during pregnancy, hypoglycemia (blood glucose level <3 mmol/l) in 24-h glucose profile, blood pressure, and proteinuria were registered.
Results: HbA(1c) values were similar at baseline in the first trimester but thereafter were lower in the lispro group than in the regular insulin group throughout pregnancy (P = 0.022, repeated-measures ANOVA). The number of hypoglycemic episodes did not differ between the treatment groups. In multivariable logistic regression analysis with retinopathy severity (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial level) in the third trimester as the dependent variable, only nulliparity qualified as a predictor in the model [Exp(B) = 4.0, 95% CI 1.1-13.7, P = 0.030]. Factors such as duration of diabetes, type of insulin used, mean HbA(1c) level throughout pregnancy, blood pressure (systolic or diastolic), preeclampsia in the current pregnancy, smoking, or prepregnancy planning did not explain the retinopathy progression.
Conclusions: Insulin lispro improves glycemic control during diabetic pregnancy compared with regular insulin with no adverse impact on progression of diabetic retinopathy.