Glycaemic Control in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Following a Single Telehealth Visit:What Have We Learned From the COVID-19 Lockdown?

Aims: Children with chronic diseases were unable to receive their usual care during COVID-19 lockdown. We assessed the feasibility and impact of telehealth visits on the time-in-range (TIR) of pediatric individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: An observational multicenter real-life study. Patients scheduled for an in-clinic visit during the lockdown were offered to participate in a telehealth visit. Sociodemographic, clinical, continuous glucose monitor and pump data were recorded 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after telehealth visit. The primary endpoint was change in relative-TIR, i.e change in TIR divided by the percent of possible change (∆TIR/(100-TIRbefore)*100). Results: The study group comprised 195 individuals with T1D (47.7% males), mean±SD age 14.6±5.3 years, diabetes duration 6.0±4.6 years. Telehealth was accomplished with 121 patients and their parents (62.0%);74 (38.0%) did not transfer complete data. Mean TIR was significantly higher for the two-week period after the telehealth visit than for the two-week period prior the visit (62.9±16.0, p<0.001 vs. 59.0±17.2);the improvement in relative-TIR was 5.7±26.1%. Initial higher mean glucose level, lower TIR, less time spent at <54 mg/dl range, longer time spent at 180–250 mg/dl range, higher daily insulin dose and single parent household were associated with improved relative-TIR. Multiple regression logistic analysis demonstrated only initial lower TIR and single-parent household were significant, odds ratio: -0.506, (95%CI -0.99,-0.023), p=0.04 and 13.82, (95%CI 0.621, 27.016), p=0.04, respectively.

Glycaemic control in the paediatric and young adult population with type 1 diabetes following a single telehealth visit - what have we learned from the COVID-19 lockdown?

AIMS: Children with chronic diseases were unable to receive their usual care during COVID-19 lockdown. We assessed the feasibility and impact of telehealth visits on the time-in-range (TIR) of paediatric individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: An observational multicentre real-life study. Patients scheduled for an in-clinic visit during the lockdown were offered to participate in a telehealth visit. Sociodemographic, clinical, continuous glucose monitor and pump data were recorded 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after telehealth visit. The primary endpoint was change in relative-TIR, i.e. change in TIR divided by the percent of possible change (∆TIR/(100-TIRbefore)*100). RESULTS: The study group comprised 195 individuals with T1D (47.7% males), mean±SD age 14.6 ± 5.3 years, and diabetes duration 6.0 ± 4.6 years. Telehealth was accomplished with 121 patients and their parents (62.0%); 74 (38.0%) did not transfer complete data. Mean TIR was significantly higher for the two-week period after the telehealth visit than for the two-week period prior the visit (62.9 ± 16.0, p < 0.001 vs. 59.0 ± 17.2); the improvement in relative-TIR was 5.7±26.1%. Initial higher mean glucose level, lower TIR, less time spent at <54 mg/dl range, longer time spent at 180-250 mg/dl range, higher daily insulin dose, and single-parent household were associated with improved relative-TIR. Multiple regression logistic analysis demonstrated only initial lower TIR and single-parent household were significant, odds ratio: -0.506, (95%CI -0.99,-0.023), p=0.04 and 13.82, (95%CI 0.621, 27.016), p=0.04, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric and young adult patients with T1D benefited from a telehealth visit during COVID-19. However, this modality is not yet suitable for a considerable proportion of patients.

Lessons learned from the continuous glucose monitoring metrics in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes under COVID-19 lockdown.

AIMS: Billions of people have been under lockdown in an attempt to prevent COVID-19 spread. Lifestyle changes during lockdown could lead to deterioration of glycemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D). We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the glycemic control of pediatric patients with T1D. METHODS: This observational real-life study from the AWeSoMe Group assessed continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics of 102 T1D patients (52.9% males, mean age 11.2 ± 3.8 years, mean diabetes duration 4.2 ± 3.8 years) who used  Dexcom G5. The data were accessed without any interface between patients, caregivers, and the diabetes team. Study variables from CGM metrics were: mean glucose level, time-in-range (TIR, 70-180 mg/dL; 3.9-10 mmol/L), hypoglycemia (< 54 mg/dL; < 3 mmol/L), hyperglycemia (> 250 mg/dL; > 13.3 mmol/L), coefficient of variation (CV), and time CGM active before and during lockdown. Delta-variable = lockdown variable minus before-lockdown variable. RESULTS: The mean TIR was 60.9 ± 14.3% before lockdown, with no significant change during lockdown (delta-TIR was 0.9 ± 7.9%). TIR during lockdown was significantly correlated with TIR before lockdown (r = 0.855, P < 0.001). Patients with improved TIR (delta-TIR > 3%) were significantly older than patients with stable or worse TIR (P = 0.028). Children aged < 10 years had a significantly higher CV before lockdown and during lockdown than children aged ≥ 10 years (P = 0.02 and P = 0.005, respectively). Among children aged < 10 years, a multiple linear regression model revealed associations of age and lower socioeconomic cluster with delta-TIR (F = 4.416, P = 0.019) and with delta-mean glucose (F = 4.459, P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: CGM metrics in pediatric patients with T1D were relatively stable during a nationwide lockdown. Intervention plans should focus on younger patients with lower socioeconomic position.