In children with type 1 diabetes aged 2 to 6, an artificial pancreas initially created at the University of Virginia Centre for Diabetes Technology enhances blood sugar control. The esteemed New England Journal of Medicine has just published the specifics of the clinical research and its conclusions.
Participants in the trial who used the artificial pancreas spent approximately three more hours per day in their target blood sugar range than participants in the control group who continued to use the techniques they were already using to manage their blood sugar.
Tandem Diabetes Care makes the Control-IQ system, a diabetes management tool that constantly monitors and controls blood glucose. When necessary, the insulin dosage is adjusted by the artificial pancreas' insulin pump using sophisticated control algorithms based on the user's glucose monitoring data.
The system has previously been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for individuals aged 6 and older with type 1 diabetes based on the results of two previous studies.
“After the resounding success of Control-IQ technology in people ages 6 and up, it is very rewarding to see our youngest patients, and often the most challenging patients to help, benefit as well,” said Marc D. Breton, PhD, a UVA School of Medicine researcher who served as the trial’s principal investigator and was recently honored as UVA’s 2022 Innovator of the Year. “With these results, we have now accumulated years of clinical validation of this system across all age groups and look forward to seeing this life-changing technology made available to the broadest possible population.”
