Remote monitoring and treatment of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

RATIONALE: Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) is an effective method for optimizing glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). However, the use of CSII does not always result in adequate glycemic control. Telehealth can be applied as one of the methods to improve the effectiveness of treatment. AIMS: To evaluate the use of remote medical support of children and adolescents with DM1 and its influence on glycemic control, quality of life, and incidence of acute complications of DM1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a 24-week multi-institutional prospective open-label controlled clinical trial. 180 children and adolescents were included in this study and divided into the following categories: 1) age 8-18 years; 2) DM1 at least 1 year; 3) pump insulin therapy Medtronic Paradigm (Medtronic MiniMed, USA) at least 6 months; 4) self-monitoring of glycemia at least 4 times a day and replacement of the insulin pump infusion system at least once every 3 days; 5) inadequate glycemic control of DM1: the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 7.5% or higher. Patients were assigned to a remote consultation group (RC; n=100) or a traditional control group (TC; n=80). All patients were trained on the basic principles of DM1 and CSII, and we measured initial HbA1c, then after 12 and 24 weeks, also registered and analyzed glycemic indicators and daily doses of insulin, evaluated and corrected the treatment. Patients or their parents in the RC group sent pump data via the Internet to the pump insulin therapy center at least once every 2 weeks at home and received treatment recommendations in response. RESULTS: The total number of patients included in the study in all institutions was 180 children at 8-18 years. Patients in both groups did not differ in age, gender, duration of DM1 and CSII, and HbA1c level. The total amount of remote consultations for all institutions was 949. The decrease in the level of HbA1c by the end of the study against the initial one was statistically significantly greater in the RC group: 1.17% compared to 0.59% in the TC group (p<0.05). The proportion of patients who reached the target level of HbA1c (<7.5%) was significantly higher in the RC group (32%) compared to the TC group (12.5%, p<0.05). During the study, the incidence of DKA and severe hypoglycemia in the RC group was statistically significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS: Remote monitoring in children with DM1 resulted in significant improvements in glycemic control (HbA1c, glycemic variability, and hypoglycemic frequency). The accumulation of evidence on the effectiveness and safety of telehealth in DM should contribute to implementing this approach in practical health care.