New Diabetes Technology Shows Significant Improvement in Children's Time in Range
By Arvind Sommi
Tandem Diabetes announced clinical trial results that showed from the very first day, children with type 1 diabetes who used the Control-IQ hybrid closed loop technology experienced significantly higher time in range and lower A1C.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine evaluated the effects of starting an automated insulin delivery system in young children with type 1 diabetes.
The study randomly assigned 102 children between ages 2 and 6 to receive treatment with a Control-IQ closed-loop insulin delivery system or standard care that included either an insulin pump or multiple daily insulin injections, and a continuous glucose monitor.
Researchers primarily looked at changes in time in range (TIR), or time spent each day in a glucose range between 70 and 180 mg/dL, over the course of the study between children using Control IQ and those who were not.
The study found that the closed-loop system improved time in range in young children with type 1 diabetes, from an average of 56.7% at baseline to 69.3% after 13 weeks.
In comparison, time in range increased from 54.9% to 55.9% in the standard care group. The average difference in TIR between the two groups was 12.4 percentage points, equal to about 3 hours per day.
Why are these results important?
Researchers are working to find better ways to help young children with type 1 diabetes manage their condition. These results suggest that hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems could be a very effective option.
This technology combines an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitor, and a computer algorithm that automatically adjusts the amount of insulin delivered based on real-time glucose monitoring data. This can help prevent dangerous high and low blood sugar levels and, specifically for parents of young children with T1D, provide more safety and security.
This trial showed that with Control-IQ, glucose levels were in target range for a greater percentage of time than with standard care, and improved significantly over a period of 13 weeks.
Additionally, the children using the Control-IQ closed loop system experienced less time above range and a lower A1C and mean glucose level compared to participants in the standard care group. These findings reinforce the importance of initiating advanced diabetes technology as soon as possible for people with type 1 diabetes.
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