Aim: To evaluate the impact of a virtual educational camp (vEC) on glucose control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes using a closed-loop control (CLC) system.
Materials and methods: This was a prospective multicentre study of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes using the Tandem Basal-IQ system. Insulin pumps were upgraded to Control-IQ, and children and their parents participated in a 3-day multidisciplinary vEC. Clinical data, glucose metrics and HbA1c were evaluated over the 12 weeks prior to the Control-IQ update and over the 12 weeks after the vEC.
Results: Forty-three children and adolescents (aged 7-16 years) with type 1 diabetes and their families participated in the vEC. The median percentage of time in target range (70-180 mg/dL; TIR) increased from 64% (interquartile range [IQR] 56%-73%) with Basal-IQ to 76% (IQR 71%-81%) with Control-IQ (P < .001). After the vEC, more than 75% of participants achieved a TIR of more than 70%. The percentage of time between 180 and 250 mg/dL and above 250 mg/dL decreased by 5% (P < .01) and 6% (P < .01), respectively, while the time between 70 and 54 mg/dL and below 54 mg/dL remained low and unaltered. HbA1c decreased by 0.5% (P < .01). There were no episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis or severe hypoglycaemia.
Conclusions: In this study of children managing their diabetes in a real-world setting, more than 75% of children who participated in a vEC after starting a CLC system could obtain and maintain a TIR of more than 70%. The vEC was feasible and resulted in a significant and persistent improvement in TIR in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Keywords: CSII; continuous glucose monitoring; glycaemic control; insulin pump therapy; observational study; type 1 diabetes.
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.