Relationship between diabetes control and pulmonary function in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

purpose: To evaluate the effect of different levels of glycemic control on the pulmonary function of subjects with type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. patients and methods: Eighteen subjects with type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with no history or physical findings of respiratory disease. Patients were given insulin therapy with a standard twice-daily insulin injection regimen (standard treatment group) or a subcutaneous insulin infusion device (insulin pump) (intensive treatment group). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c) levels were determined at quarterly intervals in both groups of patients (standard treatment group, n = 10; intensive treatment group, n = 8). Pulmonary function and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL CO) were measured after 6 years of continuous follow-up. results: The average HbA 1c in the standard treatment group was significantly higher than that of the intensive treatment group throughout the 6 years of follow-up (p