Effect of Inhaled Insulin on Fasting and Postprandial Plasma Glucose
Authors: Nasser E. Mikhail, Soma Wali, Dennis Cope
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2007)

Letters5 June 2007Effect of Inhaled Insulin on Fasting and Postprandial Plasma GlucoseNasser E. Mikhail, MD, MSc, Soma Wali, MD, and Dennis Cope, MDNasser E. Mikhail, MD, MScFrom Olive View–University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, Sylmar, CA 91342.Search for more papers by this author, Soma Wali, MDFrom Olive View–University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, Sylmar, CA 91342.Search for more papers by this author, and Dennis Cope, MDFrom Olive View–University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, Sylmar, CA 91342.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-146-11-200706050-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:We read Ceglia and colleagues' meta-analysis (1) on the efficacy and safety of inhaled insulin with great interest. Their analysis provides a valuable appraisal of this new form of insulin delivery. It is 1 of very few studies of inhaled insulin that have not sponsored by the manufacturer, and therefore it is less likely to be associated with bias. However, we disagree with the authors' reasoning for not collecting data on fasting or postprandial glucose values because they “were self-reported and therefore were less reliable than hemoglobin A1c levels” (1). In fact, at least 7 of the ...References1. Ceglia L, Lau J, Pittas AG. Meta-analysis: efficacy and safety of inhaled insulin therapy in adults with diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145:665-75. [PMID: 17088580] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Skyler JS, Cefalu WT, Kourides IA, Landschulz WH, Balagtas CC, Cheng SL, et al. Efficacy of inhaled human insulin in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a randomised proof-of-concept study. Lancet. 2001;357:331-5. [PMID: 11210993] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Weiss SR, Cheng SL, Kourides IA, Gelfand RA, Landschulz WH. Inhaled insulin provides improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with oral agents: a randomized, controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:2277-82. [PMID: 14581245] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Hollander PA, Blonde L, Rowe R, Mehta AE, Milburn JL, Hershon KS, et al. Efficacy and safety of inhaled insulin (Exubera) compared with subcutaneous insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes: results of a 6-month, randomized, comparative trial. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:2356-62. [PMID: 15451900] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Quattrin T, Bélanger A, Bohannon NJ, Schwartz SL. Efficacy and safety of inhaled insulin (Exubera) compared with subcutaneous insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes: results of a 6-month, randomized, comparative trial. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:2622-7. [PMID: 15504996] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. DeFronzo RA, Bergenstal RM, Cefalu WT, Pullman J, Lerman S, Bode BW, et al. Efficacy of inhaled insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes not controlled with diet and exercise: a 12-week, randomized, comparative trial. Diabetes Care. 2005;28:1922-8. [PMID: 16043733] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Rosenstock J, Zinman B, Murphy LJ, Clement SC, Moore P, Bowering CK, et al. Inhaled insulin improves glycemic control when substituted for or added to oral combination therapy in type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2005;143:549-58. [PMID: 16230721] LinkGoogle Scholar8. Skyler JS, Weinstock RS, Raskin P, Yale JF, Barrett E, Gerich JE, et al. Use of inhaled insulin in a basal/bolus insulin regimen in type 1 diabetic subjects: a 6-month, randomized, comparative trial. Diabetes Care. 2005;28:1630-5. [PMID: 15983312] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Nasser E. Mikhail, MD, MSc; Soma Wali, MD; Dennis Cope, MDAffiliations: From Olive View–University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, Sylmar, CA 91342.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoInhaled Insulin Improves Glycemic Control When Substituted for or Added to Oral Combination Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Julio Rosenstock , Bernard Zinman , Liam J. Murphy , Stephen C. Clement , Paul Moore , C. Keith Bowering , Rosa Hendler , Shu-Ping Lan , and William T. Cefalu Meta-Analysis: Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled Insulin Therapy in Adults with Diabetes Mellitus Lisa Ceglia , Joseph Lau , and Anastassios G. Pittas Effect of Inhaled Insulin on Fasting and Postprandial Plasma Glucose Lisa Ceglia , Joseph Lau , and Anastassios G. Pittas Metrics 5 June 2007Volume 146, Issue 11Page: 821KeywordsBlood plasmaConflicts of interestGlucoseHemoglobinHyperglycemiaInsulinReasoningResearch laboratoriesSafety ePublished: 5 June 2007 Issue Published: 5 June 2007 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2007 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...