medwireNews: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes attending a ski camp achieved better glycemic control with closed-loop control than with a sensor-augmented insulin pump, researchers report.
During 5 days of use, with around 5 hours of skiing per day, the 16 patients randomly assigned to closed-loop control spent 71.3% of their time within the normal blood glucose range (70–180 mg/dL), which was significantly more than the 64.7% achieved by the 16 participants using sensor-augmented insulin pumps.
This improvement was achieved despite the intensive physical activity and “the added challenges of cold and altitude,” write Marc Breton (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA) and study co-authors in Diabetes Care.
The benefits of closed-loop control were evident throughout the day and night, but were particularly marked during the second half of the night. Also, the least experienced skiers seemed to gain the greatest benefits, most strikingly for protection against overnight hypoglycemia.
“Clinically, this may suggest that patient knowledge of their diabetes and exercise-related management could affect which aspects of [closed-loop glucose control] may benefit: protection against hypoglycemia or tighter control,” says the team.
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