TY - JOUR

T1 - Five-Month Follow-up Shows No Improvement in Dermatological Complications in Children With Type 1 Diabetes Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems and Insulin Pumps

AU - Weng, Anna T.

AU - Zachariae, Claus

AU - Christensen, Karl B.

AU - Svensson, Jannet

AU - Berg, Anna K.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: A Danish study showed that 90% of the pediatric patients who participated had some time experienced dermatological complications due to treatment with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). This follow-up study describes dermatological complications due to CSII and/or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) between the two study periods and includes health-related quality of life (HrQoL) measurements. Methods: A total of 138 patients (95%) out of 145 patients from the initial study answered an online questionnaire regarding dermatological complications related to CSII and/or CGM, five months later. A second questionnaire (DISABKIDS) regarding HrQoL was sent out to those 138 of which 111 patients completed it. The patients were aged from 2 to 20 years. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: In total, 81% of the 138 patients continued to have dermatological complications at follow-up. Itching was the most frequently reported complication. Patients using Enlite reported more dermatological complications than those using Libre. In total, 79% of the patients who used barrier cream in the initial study still had dermatological complications five months later. Age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), or HbA1c levels showed no significant association with dermatological complications. Patients who perceived dermatological complications as a greater problem had lower HrQoL scores. Conclusion: Once dermatological complications start to appear, they become chronic, indicating that the treatments currently available are inadequate. Patients perceiving dermatological complications as a greater problem were associated with lower HrQoL. These findings highlight the need for additional preventive studies.

AB - Background: A Danish study showed that 90% of the pediatric patients who participated had some time experienced dermatological complications due to treatment with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). This follow-up study describes dermatological complications due to CSII and/or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) between the two study periods and includes health-related quality of life (HrQoL) measurements. Methods: A total of 138 patients (95%) out of 145 patients from the initial study answered an online questionnaire regarding dermatological complications related to CSII and/or CGM, five months later. A second questionnaire (DISABKIDS) regarding HrQoL was sent out to those 138 of which 111 patients completed it. The patients were aged from 2 to 20 years. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: In total, 81% of the 138 patients continued to have dermatological complications at follow-up. Itching was the most frequently reported complication. Patients using Enlite reported more dermatological complications than those using Libre. In total, 79% of the patients who used barrier cream in the initial study still had dermatological complications five months later. Age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), or HbA1c levels showed no significant association with dermatological complications. Patients who perceived dermatological complications as a greater problem had lower HrQoL scores. Conclusion: Once dermatological complications start to appear, they become chronic, indicating that the treatments currently available are inadequate. Patients perceiving dermatological complications as a greater problem were associated with lower HrQoL. These findings highlight the need for additional preventive studies.

KW - CGM

KW - children

KW - CSII

KW - dermatological complications

KW - quality of life

KW - type 1 diabetes

U2 - 10.1177/1932296819882425

DO - 10.1177/1932296819882425

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31619071

AN - SCOPUS:85074426741

VL - 15

SP - 317

EP - 323

JO - Journal of diabetes science and technology

JF - Journal of diabetes science and technology

SN - 1932-2968

IS - 2

ER -