Background: Pre-mixed insulins currently represent about 40% of the world market in human insulin. Despite the fact that many patients
are being treated with these insulin formulations, there are surprisingly few data about fixed mixtures and comparisons with
other administration schedules. The main advantages of using a pre-mixed preparation over a self-mixed insulin are increased
accuracy of dosage, efficacy and patient convenience. These benefits may lead to increased compliance resulting in better
long-term control of the disease. Insulin mixtures are used by a wide variety of patients with type-1 and type-2 diabetes.
Premixed insulins also appear to be useful in elderly and adolescent patients with diabetes, although there are few published
data on patients in these groups.
Conclusions: It is likely that, in the future, fixed mixtures containing rapid-acting insulin analogues, such as insulin lispro, and
possibly newly formulated intermediate-acting insulin analogues, such as neutral protamine lispro, may allow further improvements
in both metabolic control and patient convenience.
Key words Glycaemic control - Insulin-fixed mixture - Premixed insulins
Received: 24 May 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 30 September 1999