Somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 in type I diabetes mellitus. Initial experience after repeated administration.

We have recently obtained encouraging short-term results after a single subcutaneous injection of the long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 in acromegalic patients. Increased growth hormone (GH) levels may be involved in the pathogenesis of proliferative retinopathy in type I diabetes mellitus. In this study we thus investigated the effect of 3 X 50 micrograms SMS 201-995 daily on the metabolic control and hormone secretion of eight type I diabetics over a 3-day period. GH levels decreased by 32% (p less than 0.05) and somatomedin C levels by 31% (p less than 0.01) on the 3rd day of treatment compared with a control day. The insulin requirements during conventional subcutaneous insulin therapy were reduced by 28% (p less than 0.01) in seven patients without deterioration of metabolic control (mean blood glucose levels, 153.8) versus 154.7 mg/dl). Triiodothyronine, thyroxine, glucagon, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone showed no significant changes. We conclude that SMS 201-995 could be an excellent tool for further clinical investigation and therapy of diabetic vascular complications.