Diabetes Technology and Therapy in the Pediatric Age Group

Recent developments in diabetes technology— CSII, AP and CGM We are currently in an extremely exciting time for diabetes technology which holds near-term promise to substantially improve the lives of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Recent data published by the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange confirms what clinical experience has shown for years, that diabetes control among adolescents and young adults is suboptimal and better tools are needed to improve care in this age group. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) pump therapy has emerged over the past decade as a vital tool for improved diabetes care with usage rates approaching 50% of pediatric T1D patients in the US and numerous studies showing improved quality of life, decreased rates of severe hypoglycemia, improved glycated hemoglobin (A1c) values and decreased incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients using CSII. Continuous glucose monitoring (CMG) has also seen dramatic improvements in the past three years, with increased sensor accuracy, decreased alarm fatigue and development of remote cell phone-based monitoring all contributing to a likely inflection point in patient uptake and use of this technology.