Use of a subcutaneous injection port to improve glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if use of an injection port, the Insuflon, would help to improve glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (TID) who were in suboptimal glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c >8.0%).


METHODS
A three-arm randomized protocol was used to study the effects of the Insuflon (a subcutaneous injection port) vs. an alarmable blood glucose meter vs. a control group on glycemic control in 66 youth with T1D. All participants used insulin glargine as their basal insulin and the NovoPen Junior with insulin aspart as their rapid-acting insulin. Participants were randomized into control, alarm, or Insuflon groups. HbA1c levels were the primary outcome with values at baseline, 3, and 6 months.


RESULTS
Initial parameters were similar in the three groups. HbA1c values were significantly lower for youth who used the Insuflon than for the control group at 3 and 6 months (p = 0.025). The HbA1c values (in %) for youth using the Insuflon decreased significantly from 9.4 at screening to 8.7 at 3 months (p < 0.001) and 8.5 at 6 months (p < 0.001). There were no significant reductions (p > or = 0.05) in the HbA1c values within the other two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The Insuflon injection port helps some youth with T1D to improve glycemic control.
Burdick
Patricia
P
Department of Pediatrics, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO, USA.
Cooper
Sonia
S
Horner
Brian
B
Cobry
Erin
E
McFann
Kim
K
Chase
H Peter
HP
D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D061267:Insulin Aspart; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007332:Insulin Infusion Systems; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D008297:Male
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D061267:Insulin Aspart; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human