Use of a subcutaneous injection port to improve glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes

Burdick P, Cooper S, Horner B, Cobry E, McFann K, Chase HP. Use of a subcutaneous injection port to improve glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes.Pediatric Diabetes 2009: 10: 116-119. To determine if use of an injection port, the Insuflon (TM), would help to improve glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (TID) who were in suboptimal glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c > 8.0%). A three-arm randomized protocol was used to study the effects of the Insuflon (a subcutaneous injection port) vs. an alarmable blood glucose meter vs. a control group on glycemic control in 66 youth with T1D. All participants used insulin glargine (TM) as their basal insulin and the NovoPen((R)) Junior with insulin aspart (TM) as their rapid-acting insulin. Participants were randomized into control, alarm, or Insuflon groups. HbA1c levels were the primary outcome with values at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Initial parameters were similar in the three groups. HbA1c values were significantly lower for youth who used the Insuflon than for the control group at 3 and 6 months (p = 0.025). The HbA1c values (in %) for youth using the Insuflon decreased significantly from 9.4 at screening to 8.7 at 3 months (p < 0.001) and 8.5 at 6 months (p < 0.001). There were no significant reductions (p >= 0.05) in the HbA1c values within the other two groups. The Insuflon injection port helps some youth with T1D to improve glycemic control.