title: A novel insulin unit calculator for the management of type 1 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intensive insulin therapy is the gold standard therapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. To achieve optimal glycemic control, adjustments of insulin dose at mealtimes must be made taking into account several parameters: blood glucose levels, insulin/carbohydrate ratio, carbohydrate intake, and physical activity. Calsulin (Thorpe Products Ltd., Cambridge, UK) is a new tool for the administration of insulin dose before each meal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Calsulin on metabolic control in T1D patients undergoing intensive insulin therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty consecutive patients affected by T1D, 18-65 years old, with disease duration of >1 year, were randomized to Calsulin or to the control group. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was evaluated at entry into the study and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Paired t test (two tailed) and analysis of variance were used to evaluate differences in HbA1c at 3 and 6 months in the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HbA1c at entry was 7.9 ± 1.0% (SD) in the Calsulin-treated group and 7.8 ± 1.6% (SD) in control patients (P not significant). Data showed a slight improvement in HbA1c levels at 3 months in the Calsulin-treated group (-0.61% vs. -0.14% difference, respectively; P not significant). At the 6-month follow-up, a significant reduction in HbA1c levels was observed in the Calsulin-treated group versus the control group (-0.85% vs. -0.07% difference, respectively; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calsulin is an acceptable and practical tool that makes the process of calculating insulin doses easy to use, and, most importantly, it improves metabolic control as shown by a significant reduction of HbA1c levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Maurizi
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lauria
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fioriti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manfrini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzilli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003201:Computers; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin