[Treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis by continuous venous infusion of small insulin doses].

The authors treated 60 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis by continuous venous drop insulin infusion with 8 U every hour during the first six hours and after the sixth hour--20 U every three hours. Rehydration was performed with physiological serum in case of glycemia over 200 mg% and with 5% glucose serum in glycemia under 200 mg%. The patients were led out of ketoacidosis in approximately 9 hours and 36 minutes, the blood sugar diminution being slow and gradual, without hypoglycemic incidence. The average total insulin dose used was 72 U. The authors recommend that method for the practice with a view to its simplicity, safety and high effectiveness.