Technology in type 1 diabetes
/The 79th scientific sessions for the American Diabetes Association brought new and intriguing results on diabetes technology, and showed us all that closed loop systems for treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) will reach clinical practice in near future. On Sunday the 9th of June, Sue Brown MD from the University of Virginia presented data from a 6 months prospective trial, were 168 patients older than 1 years of age were randomized 2:1 to either a fully closed loop system or a sensor augmented pump. The objective of the study was to assess safety and efficacy, and primary outcome was time in target range (glucose 3.9 – 10.0 mmol/L). Time in target range increased in the closed loop group from 61 to 71 %, and the change was immediate and remained during the trial. Summarized, the study achieved all primary and main secondary efficacy outcomes without any severe hypoglycemic events.
Also in prepubertal children with T1D, closed loop systems seems to be feasible and give excellent metabolic control. Eric Renard, MD and Professor at Lapeyronie University Hospital in Montpellier presented a study with 18 weeks comparison of 24 hours versus night-time only closed loop in prepubertal children with T1D. 30 patients with mean age 8.8 years have been enrolled in in the study. More results will come from this study with longer observational period, but so far the data are promising. No episodes of either DKA or severe hypoglycemia have been observed and time in target range in the 24 hours closed loop group is 71%. Maybe most important, the time in closed loop is as high as 98%, meaning the system is really functioning as closed loop.