Assessment of diabetes control in insulin pump therapy in late adolescentsand young adults with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate metabolic control in insulin pump therapy (IPT) in late adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 86 subjects with type 1 diabetes, and included 45 patients aged 16-19 years (mean 17.6±1.2) treated in a pediatric outpatient clinic and 41 subjects aged 19-26 years (mean 22.8±2.2) treated in an adult outpatient clinic of the same university hospital, who received the same refund of IPT.

RESULTS: Late adolescents had a lower BMI (22.7±2.9 kg/m2 vs. 24.2±3.2 kg/m2; P<0.05), higher HbA1c (69.4±15.1 mmol/mol vs. 58.5±11.8 mmol/mol; P<0.001) and mean blood glucose levels (10.4±2.6 mmol/l vs. 9.2±1.4 mmol/l, P<0.05), and received higher insulin doses per day (0.85±0.23 IU/kg vs. 0.65±0.13 IU/kg; P<0.001). The mean diabetes and IPT duration, number of visits, basal/bolus insulin ratio, number of insulin boluses, blood glucose tests and the episodes of hypoglycemia were similar.

CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic control in late adolescents with type 1 diabetes on IPT is significantly worse than in young adults, despite higher doses of insulin and very similar way of treatment and self-control. This may be related to the patients age or the less rigorous approach to therapeutic recommendations resulting from pediatric diabetes care.