Managing Type 1 Diabetes in children may have become easier according to a European study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the study, published in January 2022, a hybrid closed-loop system (artificial pancreas) significantly improved glycemic control in very young children with type 1 diabetes, without increasing the time spent in hypoglycemia. The artificial pancreas, also known as closed-loop control, is an “all-in-one” diabetes management system that tracks blood glucose levels using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and automatically delivers insulin when needed using an insulin pump. The system replaces reliance on testing by fingerstick or CGM with the delivery of insulin by multiple daily injections or a pump controlled by the patient or caregiver.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the Insulet Omnipod 5, the world’s first tubeless, wearable system for individuals 6 and older. It includes an algorithm placed in a waterproof, closed-loop insulin pump and communicates directly with a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM). There were three FDA approvals of artificial pancreas systems on the market: The Medtronic 670G, approved in 2016, the Tandem Control-IQ™, approved in 2019, and the Medtronic 770G, approved in 2020. This marks the first tubeless hybrid closed loop system to receive FDA authorization.
Children are at a high risk of very low and very high blood sugar levels. This can lead to death and be severely damaging to the body.
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https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2111673