Factores asociados con el control glucémico óptimo en pacientes tratados con bomba de insulina y monitorización continua de glucosa en tiempo real

Objective

When used with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and bolus estimation algorithms, many patients on insulin pump therapy achieve near-euglycemia. We evaluated the usage patterns of integrated pump/CGM technology that are associated with A1C levels < 7%.

Methods

Data from 217 patients (age > 11 years, 53.5% male, 91.7% with type 1 diabetes, all with > 3 months pump experience) receiving care at a teaching hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, were analyzed. Data included insulin delivery, A1C levels, severe hypoglycemic events, use of CGM, completion of diabetes education courses, and the frequency of blood glucose checks. All patients received training on the use of the pump, and most (73.7%) received additional training on carbohydrate counting, basal rate adjustments, and use of CGM data.

Results

Initiation of pump therapy was associated with decreases in A1C, insulin use, and severe hypoglycemic events (all P < .001). Pump and CGM-specific behaviors associated with lower A1C included the use of a dose estimation algorithm for > 80% of bolus doses and use of CGM sensors > 80% of the time (both P < .005). Lower A1C was also associated with the completion of additional training, age > 18, use of the Paradigm 722 pump with an integrated CGM device, use of CGM-based alarms, A1c >7% before pump therapy, and more frequent blood glucose checks (all P < .05). Many (45.6%) patients reached A1c ≤ 7% with pump therapy.

Conclusions

Patient education, with an A1c below 7% before sensor-augmented pump therapy, when combined with consistent use of CGM sensors and bolus estimation algorithms, leads to favorable reductions in A1C beyond those achieved with pump therapy alone