Expanding Coverage of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Pediatric Patients With Diabetes

Results from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that more aggressive and intensive management of diabetes leads to a reduction in the incidence of diabetes related complications in adolescents and adults. Therefore, early initiation of intensive insulin regimens that have been proven to normalize blood sugars as much as possible need to be initiated in youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) to improve outcomes in adulthood. However, despite this understanding, there remains no consensus for how to best manage insulin delivery in children diagnosed with T1DM.

Intensive insulin treatment of diabetes typically entails one of two therapies: MDI (multiple daily injections) or CSII also know as insulin pump therapy. MDI requires several insulin injections per day to achieve near normal glycemic control which can also lead to a subsequent increased risk of severe hypoglycemia. The insulin pump allows the user to program in various basal insulin rates, as low as 0.025 units/hr, throughout the day and night to better match one's physiologic insulin secretion, and eliminates the need for insulin injections throughout the day.

Management of T1DM in the pediatric setting presents several challenges for the patient, caregivers, and health care providers. Children and adolescents tend to have wide fluctuations in their blood glucose levels due to varying amounts of physical activity from day to day. Additionally, infants, toddlers, and school age children have eating habits that are very unpredictable and often eat small quantities making it quite difficult to accurately administer small doses of insulin through an insulin syringe or pen device. Finally, there is increasing evidence to support that infants and toddlers who experience severe hypoglycemia may have resultant neurologic deficits. Previous research has demonstrated that pediatric patients on insulin pump therapy had better glycemic control when compared to pediatric patients who were managed on MDI alone. Patients on insulin pumps and their parents have reported more flexibility with meals and daily activities, lower hemoglobin A1c levels, decreased variability in blood sugar readings, and fewer episodes of hypoglycemia.

Despite the vast research documenting the benefits of insulin pump therapy, some insurance companies continue to be hesitant in covering CSII in pediatric patients with diabetes. The findings from this study and supporting evidence will be presented to medical directors at Missouri Medicaid to help expand coverage of CSII in pediatric patients with diabetes.