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Benefits Of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Over

Running head: CONTINUOUS INSULIN INFUSION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Benefits of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion over
Multiple Daily Injections in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes:
What Age Groups Benefit the Most

Elise Campassi
University of South Alabama

A Paper

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
requirements for NU 533 Advanced Nursing Research
University of South Alabama
College of Nursing

Spring 2007
Introduction:
Strict glycemic control is the goal for Type 1 diabetic patients (Webb, 2006). Currently, the majority of Type 1 diabetics in the United States achieve glycemic control via multiple daily insulin injections (MDI). However, in the late 1970s the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) system became an option. Following the introduction of the CSII system, numerous studies noted problems experienced by patients employing CSII e.g. increased likelihood of hypoglycemia as well as diabetic ketoacidosis (Pickup & Keen, 2002). A recent study now claims that improvements in the CSII delivery systems lead to fewer episodes of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis as well as lowered HgbA1c levels in diabetic patients (Hanasa & Adolfsson, 2006). An additional study maintains that quality of life for patients with Type 1 diabetes improves when using CSII (Rodrigues, Reidt, Ismail, & Amiel, 2005).
If CSII can provide better glycemic control, then use of CSII in pediatric patients may decrease the likelihood of health complications associated Type 1 diabetes (Hanasa & Adolfsson, 2006). A 2005 study involving pediatric patients determined the use CSII in this population is safe (Fox, Buckloh, Smith, Wysocki, & Mauras, 2005). Two studies involving pediatric patients under age five found that while patients' quality of life may improve, no other significant benefit is derived from CSII use in this age group (DiMeglio et al., 2004; Fox et al., 2005). Yet, when Hanasa and Adolfsson (2006) evaluated patients...