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Artificial Pancreas Developed at UVA Improves Blood Sugar Control for Kids Ages 2-6

March 21, 2023 by jta6n@virginia.edu

artificial pancreas glucose monitoring system

An artificial pancreas originally developed at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology improves blood sugar control in children ages 2 to 6 with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study. Details of the clinical study and its findings were just published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Trial participants using the artificial pancreas spent approximately three more hours per day in their target blood sugar range compared with participants in a control group who continued relying on the methods they were already using to manage their blood sugar.

The Control-IQ system, manufactured by Tandem Diabetes Care, is a diabetes management device that automatically monitors and regulates blood glucose. The artificial pancreas has an insulin pump that uses advanced control algorithms based on the person’s glucose-monitoring information to adjust the insulin dose as needed.

Based on findings from two earlier studies, the system has previously been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people ages 6 and older with type 1 diabetes.

Marc Breton

Marc Breton, PhD

“After the resounding success of Control-IQ technology in people ages 6 and up, it is very rewarding to see our youngest patients, and often the most challenging patients to help, benefit as well,” said Marc D. Breton, PhD, a UVA School of Medicine researcher who served as the trial’s principal investigator and was recently honored as UVA’s 2022 Innovator of the Year. “With these results, we have now accumulated years of clinical validation of this system across all age groups and look forward to seeing this life-changing technology made available to the broadest possible population.”

Read full press release in the UVA Health news room.

Filed Under: Clinical, Faculty, Research