ABSTRACT. Objective. To identify possible causes of suboptimal glycemic control (ascertained by hemoglobin A 1c [HbA 1c ] level) in youths using insulin pump therapy.Methods. Forty-eight youths who were receiving insulin pump therapy for >6 months, and who were using insulin pumps and blood glucose meters with data that could be downloaded at our facility, are included in this cross-sectional study. Possible causes of suboptimal glycemic control were evaluated by using 4 information sources: 1) insulin pump data downloads; 2) glucose meter data downloads; 3) patient/family questionnaire about insulin bolusing habits, eating habits, exercise, and blood glucose testing habits; and 4) a physician questionnaire. Physicians completed the questionnaire during the patient interview after reviewing the downloaded information and discussing these results with the patient/family.Results. In a previous report from a general pediatric diabetes clinic, 39% of children changing to insulin pump therapy showed improvement in HbA 1c levels (a decrease Ն0.5%), although 64% either showed improvement (of at least a 1.0% decrease of HbA 1c levels) or maintained a HbA 1c level Ͻ8%. 3 Unfortunately, 20% showed a worsening of their HbA 1c level from a mean of 7.8% to 8.8%. The clinical impression was that missed insulin boluses were a major reason for worsening glycemic control, although insulin pump data downloads were not available to confirm the impression. The purpose of the current study was to identify possible causes of suboptimal glycemic control in youths using insulin pump therapy. METHODSThe first 48 youths seen at our clinic who were using insulin pumps and glucose meters with data that could be downloaded were included in this study. All participants were receiving insulin pump therapy for at least 6 months before inclusion and had attended pump training classes. All had received training on counting carbohydrates for the calculation of mealtime insulin boluses and agreed to perform at least 4 blood glucose tests per day before initiating insulin pump therapy. In addition, all participants were using Medtronic MiniMed (Northridge, CA) insulin pumps, because this was the only type of pump with data that could be downloaded at our facility at the time. A variety of glucose meters were used in this study, all of which had data that could be downloaded at our facility. Before inclusion, participants were required to sign a consent/assent form and complete a questionnaire approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board. Parents of youths Ͻ18 years of age also signed the consent form.A questionnaire was developed to identify possible reasons for suboptimal glycemic control in youths using insulin pumps, including missed mealtime insulin boluses, timing of meal boluses in relation to meals, pump disconnection and bolus for exercise, and number of blood glucose tests performed per day. Participants were asked to answer as accurately and honestly as possible and were told that they would not be criticized for their re...

Subjects awoke to 29% of individual alarms and to 66% of alarm events. Subjects awoke during all alarm events when hypoglycemia was confirmed, but there was a high incidence of false alarms.

SH was decreased, particularly at night (from 12 episodes to one), after the introduction of glargine in young children with T1D.

Older children have a longer remission period than younger children. The clinical definition of the remission period should be redefined to include both the insulin dose and the HbA1c level. Any attempt to extend the remission period in children is more apt to be successful in dealing with older children and with the introduction of the intervention as soon after diagnosis as is feasible.

Transdermal fluid glucose measurements using a prototype device system were well tolerated by children with type 1 diabetes and showed good correlation with concomitant capillary glucose blood measurements. Changes in glucose as tracked by the RTGS system appeared accurate. The durability of the prototype system will need improvement.