Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34876413›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open diabetes research & care2021

Characteristics and morphology of lipohypertrophic lesions in adults with type 1 diabetes with ultrasound screening: an exploratory observational study.

Rabab Hashem, Henrietta Mulnier, Haya Abu Ghazaleh, Susan Halson-Brown, Maria Duaso, Rebecca Rogers, Janaka Karalliedde, Angus Forbes

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open diabetes research & care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Insulin-Induced Lipohypertrophy.JCEM case reports · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Rabab HashemDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK.
Henrietta MulnierDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK.
Haya Abu GhazalehDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK.
Susan Halson-BrownDepartment of Women & Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK.
Maria DuasoDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK.
Rebecca RogersDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK.
Janaka KarallieddeDepartment of Diabetes, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2617-8320
Angus ForbesDivision of Care in Long-term Conditions, King's College London, London, UK angus.forbes@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-3331-755X
King's College London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionLipohypertrophy is a common complication of exposure to insulin therapy. Despite the prevalence of lipohypertrophy and its potentially hazardous effects on glucose regulation, it remains a relatively understudied problem in diabetes. The objective of this study was to characterize lipohypertrophic tissue using ultrasound in adults with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND

methodsAn observational study of 74 people with type 1 diabetes from a diabetes center in South East London. Participants' insulin exposed areas were scanned with ultrasound, with a high-frequency linear probe (6-13 MHz). The observed tissue changes were described, measured and graded according to nodule size and thickness of the dermal layer.

resultsParticipants mean age and diabetes duration were 40.6 (±14.2) and 18.3 (±10.9) years, respectively, and 60% (n=44) were male. A total of 740 lipohypertrophic nodules were observed, ranging from 1.8 mm to 40 mm in width. The mean (SD/range) number of nodules per participants was 10.4 (±6.2/1-29). Delineation between the dermal layers was disrupted in all current injection sites. In 52 participants (70%), there was a 30% increase in dermal thickness compared with local none injected tissue, and in 36 participants (48%) the increase was 50%. The level of thickness was >3 mm in the abdominal areas of 22 (40%) of these participants and in thighs of eight participants (17.8%). Hypoechogenic areas suggestive of necrotic tissue were observed within the lipohypertrophic nodules of 22 (30%) participants. Needle length and nodule depth were correlated (r=0.69, p<0.001). A conceptual model of the insulin exposed tissue changes observed was constructed.

conclusionsThe study confirms that insulin-exposed tissue changes are heterogenous and has provided conceptual and grading frameworks for classifying these changes. Further studies are required to establish the clinical implications of these classifications, in relation to glucose regulation and other clinical parameters.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1LipodystrophyAdultHumansInsulinInsulin, Regular, HumanLondonMaleInsulinInsulin, Regular, Humandiabetes mellitusinsulinlipodystrophytype 1ultrasonography

Identifiers

PMID34876413
PMCPMC8655520
OpenAlexW4200293959

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.