[Evaluation of the insulin requirements with an artificial pancreas in gestational diabetes].

The evolution of insulin requirements in 10 patients with gestational diabetes mellitus was evaluated with the use of an artificial pancreas. We found that intravenous insulin requirements showed a definite tendency to decline, the greatest reduction being found between gestational weeks 27 and 37. Postprandial requirements after lunch were significantly higher in the weeks 15 and 27, with a tendency to become equal to those corresponding to breakfast and dinner in week 37. We found a lack of lineal correlation between the intravenous and subcutaneous requirements. We conclude that the artificial pancreas is a useful instrument to examine in detail the temporal evolution of insulin requirements in gestational diabetes. The artificial pancreas facilitates the adjustment of insulin therapy and plays a major role in the understanding of the pathophysiological abnormalities in these patients.