OBSERVATIONS OmniPod Insulin Management System Patient perceptions, preference,

and glycemic control This 30-day study, supported by agrant from Insulet, assessed thecomfort, function, and use of the OmniPod system (Pod) compared with the use of a conventional insulin pump among subjects with type 1 diabetes. The OmniPod system features the Pod, a lightweight, watertight, self-enclosed in-sulin pump with automated cannula inser-tion. The Pod delivers insulin according to preprogrammed instructions transmitted wirelessly from the personal diabetes man-ager, a hand-held device that programs the pump with customized insulin instruc-tions, monitors the operation of the pump, performs suggested bolus calculations, and contains an integrated blood glucose meter. Twenty subjects with type 1 diabetes used the OmniPod system (Insulet, Bed-ford, MA) to manage their diabetes (15 female and 5 male subjects; mean age 43 years [range 27–68]; mean diabetes du-ration 20.8 years [4–53]). The following was the inclusion criteria: use of continu-ous subcutaneous insulin infusion ther-apy for at least 6 months, an HbA1c (A1C) 8.5 % (mean 7.1 % [range of initial A1C 5.5–8.1]), measures glucose at least four times each day, and no more than one severe hypoglycemic or ketoacidosis epi-sode within the past year and none within the past 3 months. The following were the exclusion criteria: clinical diagnosis of hy-poglycemic unawareness, known dermal hypersensitivity to products that contain Beiersdorf Hypafix medical adhesive, pregnancy, and taking prescription med-ications that could complicate the man-agement of glycemic control (i.e., steroids, diuretics, -blockers). Subjects recorded daily activities, in-sulin dosages, glucose results, and obser-vations and were required to check glucose values using the personal diabetes manager’s integrated Freestyle blood glu-cose meter (Abbott, Alameda, CA). Clinic visits were scheduled on days 3, 14, and 30 to reinforce the study protocol proce-dures and to evaluate patient status. Sub-jects completed an exit questionnaire. Each question required the subject to an-swer on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 most favorable, 5 least favorable, and 3 neutral response. The following are the results comparing the Pod with their current pump: convenience of using th