Comparative study of NPH human insulin (recombinant DNA) and pork insulin in diabetic subjects: preliminary report.

Continuous blood glucose monitoring in six insulin-dependent diabetic patients shows that the biologic action of NPH human insulin (recombinant DNA) and pork insulin is similar. Nevertheless, the activity of NPH human insulin seems faster and more pronounced since minimal glycemia is lower and more rapidly reached after human insulin. The speed of glycemic increase is slightly lower and the decrease is faster with NPH human insulin; thus the area under the NPH human insulin-induced glycemic curve is less wide, but differences are not significant. Our data favor a faster and more potent effect of NPH human insulin.