Metabolic control and hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 diabetes: insulin pump therapy vs. intensified insulin therapy in an unselected cohort in routine care

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare individuals with type 1 diabetes with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and intensified insulin therapy (ICT) in routine care regarding metabolic control and treatment satisfaction. Individuals with type 1 diabetes (CSII n = 74; ICT n = 163) were analysed regarding metabolic control, frequency of hypoglycaemia and treatment satisfaction (DTSQs range 0–36). Individuals with CSII (duration of CSII: 14.1 ± 7.2 years) were younger (51.1 ± 15.8 vs. 56.2 ± 16.2 years, p = 0.023), had longer diabetes duration (28.7 ± 12.4 vs. 24.6 ± 14.3 years, p = 0.033), lower insulin dosage (0.6 ± 0.2 vs. 0.7 ± 0.4 IU/kg, p = 0.004), used more frequently short-acting analogue insulin (90.5% vs. 48.5%, p < 0.001) and flash/continuous glucose monitoring (50.0% vs. 31.9%, p = 0.009) than people with ICT. HbA1c was similar between CSII and ICT (7.1 ± 0.8%/54.4 ± 9.1 mmol/mol vs. 7.2 ± 1.0%/55.7 ± 10.9 mmol/mol, p = 0.353). Individuals with CSII had higher frequency of non-severe hypoglycaemia per week (in people with blood glucose monitoring: 1.9 ± 1.7 vs. 1.2 ± 1.6, p = 0.014; in people with flash/continuous glucose monitoring: 3.3 ± 2.2 vs. 2.1 ± 2.0, p = 0.006). Prevalence of polyneuropathy (18.9% vs. 38.0%, p = 0.004) and systolic blood pressure (138.0 ± 16.4 vs. 143.9 ± 17.1 mmHg, p = 0.014) was lower in CSII. Satisfaction with diabetes treatment (26.7 ± 7.3 vs. 26.0 ± 6.8, p = 0.600) did not differ between CSII and ICT. CSII and ICT yielded comparable metabolic control and treatment satisfaction but CSII was associated with higher incidence of non-severe hypoglycaemia and lower insulin dosage.