T1D Exchange, the first program of Unitio, recently conducted a study examining the duration of insulin pump infusion set wear and its impact on glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. Findings indicated that Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) levels tend to increase with longer duration of infusion set wear.
This study, funded by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, also demonstrated the power of using the internet to conduct longitudinal research studies rapidly, and at a lower cost than more traditional methods of inquiry.
“We were very fortunate to be able to conduct this study using Glu, it allowed for rapid recruitment with over 200 of the 243 total participants enrolling within 2 days of announcing the study. It is important that the results showing an increasing FBG with each successive day of infusion set wear are recognized by health care providers.” – Alysa Sampson Perrin, Epidemiologist at the Jaeb Center for Health Research.
243 participants were recruited through Facebook, Twitter, and Glu, T1D Exchange’s online community for type 1s. Each day of the 14-day study, participants were prompted via email to enter their FBG, the previous day’s total daily insulin dose (TDI), and whether or not the infusion set was changed.
Study results showed that 48% of participants changed their set every 3 days, 26% changed as often as every 1 or 2 days, and 7% changed every 5 days. Overall, FBG was higher with each successive day a patient wore the same infusion set.
These data are consistent with previous research supporting a correlation between days of using the same infusion set and FBG. There was no effect of infusion set duration on TDI.
Findings also showed that an online community such as Glu is a valuable way to recruit patients rapidly and that the internet is a powerful way to conduct longitudinal research.
This research was presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 74th Scientific Sessions 2014 held in San Francisco, CA. Please view the full poster presentation here (link to poster PDF).
Visit t1dexchange.org for more information about T1D Exchange.
Visit helmsleytrust.org for more information about The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Visit unitio.org for more information about Unitio.
About T1D Exchange
T1D Exchange was founded on the premise that finding faster, better therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D) requires a research model as multi-faceted as the disease itself. T1D Exchange acts as a convener of the thousands of people working to improve patient outcomes already—by connecting them to one another and to the patient community at large. Drawing on decades of research and data that have come before, T1D Exchange aims to be the translational engine that enables the entire T1D ecosystem to collaborate in truly novel ways via the integration of a clinic network, clinic registry, biorepository, and the online patient/caregiver community, Glu.
About The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting effective nonprofits in health, place-based initiatives, and education and human services. Since 2008, when the Trust began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $1 billion. The Helmsley Type 1 Diabetes Program is the largest private funder of T1D-related research, treatment and support programs.
About Unitio
Unitio is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect researchers, physicians, and patients battling disease in a way that facilitates discoveries, accelerates treatments, and provides answers to some of the most pressing questions. Unitio’s real-world, patient data platform is designed to accelerate all aspects of drug and device development via an integrated system of people and institutions already working hard to decode different parts of complex diseases by connecting them to one another and to their patient communities.
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