Does normal blood glucose (Time-in-Range) preserve insulin production in children with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes?      

T1D is not a homogeneous disease. At onset of diagnosis, most patients still have some insulin-production left. The rate of the immune-mediated destruction of β-cells varies. Some patients lose their β-cell function soon after diagnosis; others maintain insulin production for years. Reports from several studies have shown that preservation of β-cell function results in better metabolic control, as evaluated by HbA1c, lower daily insulin-dose, reduction of long-term micro- and macro-vascular complications, and reduction of acute complications. The remaining insulin production seems to makes the blood glucose more stable and the diabetes treatment less complicated.  

The remaining insulin-production in the β-cells can be measured by using C-peptide, an excellent marker for residual β-cell activity. All children with new onset T1D in 2022 in Norway will be invited to participate in this study.

Our objectives

  1. To develop a digital, user friendly, educational tool to motivate and to increase the use of Time In Range (TIR) on a daily basis in children and adolescents with new-onset T1D.

  2. Implement this tool as a part of daily diabetes care, close to onset of T1D, and follow the children with a standardized approach the first year of T1D.

  3. To show that the use of CGM and increased TIR will preserve insulin production from the onset of T1D, measured as C-peptide.                                                                        

News from 2024:
We have made an animation movie which explain why TIR is important. This film is used in diabetes education on the pediatric wards during the whole recruitment period 01.03.2022 – 21.07.2023. The children were followed for 12 months, the last child until 21.07.2024.

Primary Investigator: Torild Skrivarhaug, MD, PhD, Professor

Co-investigators/participants:

Kristin Namtvedt Tuv, MD (research fellow)

Knut Dahl-Jørgensen MD, PhD, Senior Professor

Per Medbøe Thorsby, MD, PhD, Ass. Professor