An inhaled form of insulin is as effective as injected insulin in keeping blood sugar under control in people with type 1 diabetes, says a new study. The study, in the July issue of the American Diabetes Association journal Diabetes Care, is the largest to show that inhaled insulin safely replaces the pre-meal insulin shot often needed by those with type 1 diabetes, which affects 1 million to 2 million in the USA.The six-month study involved 328 people with type 1 diabetes, a form of the disease in which patients produce no insulin and require daily shots. All participants got twice-daily injections of long-acting insulin, but for pre-meal insulin, 163 got inhaled insulin and 165 got shots.The research study team, led by Jay Skyler of the University of Miami, found that blood sugar control was comparable in both groups, a finding that backs up earlier studies showing the effectiveness of inhaled insulin.
