Comparison between a multiple daily insulin injection regimen (basal once-daily glargine plus mealtime lispro) and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (lispro) using continuous glucose monitoring in metabolically optimized type 1 diabetes patients: A randomized open-labelled parallel study

Abstract Background and objective Advantages of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) over multiple daily injections with glargine (MDI/G) are still uncertain. We compared CSII vs. MDI/G therapy in unselected patients with type 1 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring (CGSM). The primary end-points were glycaemic control and quality of life (QOL). Methods A total of 45 patients with long-term diabetes and mean HbA1c values of 8.6 ± 1.8% (70.5 ± 15.4 mmol/mol), previously treated with MDI/NPH, were switched to MDI/G for 6 months and then, unfulfilling therapy CSII indication, were randomly assigned to CSII or MDI/G for another six months. We evaluated QOL (EsDqol) and glycaemic control by measuring HbA1c levels, rate of hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis and CGSM data. Results After the first phase (MDI/NPH to MDI/G) there was a significant improvement in total EsDQOL (99.72 ± 18.38 vs. 92.07 ± 17.65; p p p p p p p p p Conclusions Intensive insulin therapy with CSII vs. MDI/G was associated with better levels of HbA1c in patients with long-term type 1 diabetes.