Use of the pen delivery system for intensive insulin therapy in college-age students with type I diabetes.
The present report describes our experience with 16 adolescents and young adults with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM; Type I) who switched from two injections of insulin per day to the NovolinPen and four insulin injections a day. Their mean age at the initiation of therapy was 19.2 years with a duration of diabetes of 8.9 years. Sixteen random computer-matched (for age, sex, and duration of diabetes) controls who remained on two insulin injections a day were evaluated for comparison. Most subjects were preparing to leave home for college. After a minimum of 1 year of using the pen, the mean weight gain of the test subjects was significantly greater (P less than .05) than for the computer-matched controls. Glycemic control, as monitored by mean HbA1c values, were similar for the NovolinPen and the control groups (10.8 versus 10.9, respectively) after almost 2 years. The main advantage to the pen expressed by the users was a sense of freedom of lifestyle.
Chase
H P
HP
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Denver, Colorado 80262.
Garg
S K
SK
Hoops
S L
SL
Harris
S
S
Wilcox
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin