To determine lipohypertrophy (LH) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on multiple daily insulin injections (MDII) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and to reveal the factors associated with the development and severity of LH.

Sixty-six patients with T1DM treated with MDII (n = 35, 53%) or CSII (n = 31, 47%) for at least 1 year were included. LH localizations were detected with palpation and ultrasonography (USG).

The LH detection rate with USG was significantly higher than that by palpation in the whole group (P < .001). The LH was detected with USG in 30 (85.7%) patients in the MDII group and 22 (71.0%) patients in the CSII group (P = .144). Advanced LH was detected in 13 (37.1%) of the patients treated with MDII and in 3 (9.7%) of the patients treated with CSII. LH was more severe in the MDII group than in the CSII group (P = .013). Diabetes duration and length of infusion set use were significantly longer and body mass index, hypoglycemia, and complication rates were higher in patients with LH than those in patients without LH (P < .05). A positive correlation was found between LH severity and HbA1C and insulin dose (P < .05, for both). MDII as insulin administration method, incorrect rotation, and a history of ketosis were found to be the most related factors with LH severity in a multiple linear regression analysis (P < .05).

USG might be an effective approach for detecting and evaluating the severity of LH. MDII might cause more severe LH than CSII in patients with T1DM. In this study, LH was found to be associated mostly with incorrect rotation technique and a history of ketosis.

insulin

lipohypertrophy

palpation

type 1 diabetes mellitus

ultrasonography

continuous glucose monitoring

continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion

glycosylated hemoglobin concentration

multiple daily insulin injections

type 1 diabetes mellitus

type 2 diabetes mellitus

© 2022 AACE. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.