Short- and long-term complications of insulin pump therapy in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a multicenter cross-sectional study from Saudi Arabia.

Background: Insulin pump therapy improves glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes but is associated with technical and dermatological complications that can impact adherence. Research on these adverse effects in pediatric populations is limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate short- and long-term complications of insulin pump therapy in pediatric patients in Saudi Arabia, focusing on technical malfunctions, dermatological issues, and patient satisfaction.

Design: A cross-sectional survey-based study conducted in multiple centers in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Fifty-nine parents of children with type 1 diabetes who used insulin pumps provided data for the study. Participants reported technical issues, skin-related complications, and overall satisfaction. IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0.1 was used to conduct the statistical analysis.

Results: Technical complications were frequent, with 64.4% experiencing tube blockages, 39.0% reporting needle dislodgment, and 39.0% observing air bubbles in the tubing. Dermatological issues included discomfort at the infusion site (54.2%), skin pigmentation (45.8%), and scarring (55.9%), with lipohypertrophy (22.0%) posing a concern for insulin absorption. Longer pump use was significantly associated with increased complications, particularly tube blockages and skin pigmentation. Despite these challenges, 84.7% of participants recommended insulin pumps over multiple daily injections.

Conclusion: Technical and dermatological complications were common, increasing with longer pump use. Proper infusion site rotation, infusion set management, and improved patient education are key to reducing adverse effects. To improve safety and efficacy, future studies should concentrate on infusion set change patterns, newer pump technologies, and standardized guidelines.