We evaluated a new insulin pump designed to stop insulin delivery when a hypoglycemic value is predicted in young children with type 1 diabetes during a 4-day camp and after 10-15 days.
Children with type 1 diabetes (n = 28, age 6-8 years, from 14 Italian pediatric centers) participated in a 4-day camp to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a Tandem t:slim X2 pump with Basal-IQ integrated with a Dexcom G6 sensor, after a specific educational path. Data were compared with 15 days before and after the camp. The primary outcome was time in range (TIR). Secondary outcomes were time in hypo (<70 mg/dl) and time in hyper (>180 mg/dl), number of hypos during the camp, number of hypos needing glucose supplementation.
Mean TIR before camp was 61.2±11.7 and increased to 67.1±12.9 during the camp (p=0.019), remaining stable 15 days after camp 65.9±10.4 (p=0.031 vs before and p=0.684 vs camp). Time in hypo was similar during the three periods (3.1±2.7 vs 3.4±2.8 vs 3.3±3.4, p=0.527), while time in hyper significantly decreased (35.7±12.6 vs 29.5±13.6, p=0.022, and vs 31.1±11.5, p=0.034 vs before and p=0.469 vs camp). No severe hypoglicemia occurred. During the camp a total of 49 hypoglycemic events have been reported, only 14 of them (28.6%) needing a glucose supplementation. Indeed, during a high intensity, long duration exercise (3-hour mountain climbing) 26/28 children had hypoglycemia, but only 6 (23%) needed glucose.
The Tandem t:slim X2 Basal-IQ system significantly improved TIR in young children, without increasing time spent in hypoglycemia.