Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion can be used effectively and safely in older patients with type 1 diabetes: long-term follow-up

Use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in adults with type 1 diabetes has become increasingly popular in recent years, with recent studies examining the efficacy of CSII use in pregnancy and in type 2 diabetes. However, there is very limited information on the benefit of CSII in older patients with type 1 diabetes. Electronic medical records were retrospectively analyzed for patients with type 1 diabetes undertaking structured patient education and initiated on CSII or multiple daily injections (MDI) between 2000 and 2016. Outcomes examined related to changes in glycemic parameters and weight and utilization of healthcare resources. Data relating to 293 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with up to 10 years of follow-up data available. For patients commencing CSII, glycemic and weight outcomes and utilization of healthcare resources were similar in older compared with younger patients. For older patients, use of CSII was associated with better glycemic outcomes at the cost of a small increase in healthcare resources compared with MDI. CSII can be used effectively and safely in the longer term in carefully selected older patients with type 1 diabetes, with similar outcomes as observed in younger patients using CSII, and potentially better glycemic outcomes than MDI in older patients