Health Care Utilization and Direct Costs Prior to Subspecialty Care in Children with Chronic Pain Compared with Other Chronic Childhood Diseases: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To understand the burden associated with pediatric chronic pain (CP) on the health care system compared with other costly chronic diseases prior to subspecialty care. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study, we assessed all-cause health care utilization and direct health care costs associated with pediatric CP (n = 91) compared with juvenile arthritis (n = 135), inflammatory bowel disease (n = 90), type 1 diabetes (n = 475) or type 2 diabetes (n = 289), anxiety (n = 7193), and controls (n = 273) 2 and 5 years prior to patients entering subspecialty care in Manitoba, Canada. Linked data from physician encounters, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions were extracted from administrative databases. Differences in health care utilization and direct health care costs associated with CP vs the other conditions were tested using negative binomial and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models, respectively. RESULTS: After adjustment for age at diagnosis, sex, location of residence, and socioeconomic status, CP continued to be associated with the highest number of consulted physicians and subspecialists and the highest number of physician billings compared with all other conditions (P < .01, respectively). CP was significantly associated with higher physician costs than juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or controls (P < .01, respectively); anxiety was associated with the highest physician and prescription costs among all cohorts (P < .01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Compared with chronic inflammatory and endocrinologic conditions, pediatric CP and anxiety were associated with substantial burden on the health care system prior to subspecialty care, suggesting a need to assess gaps and resources in the management of CP and mental health conditions in the primary care setting.

Cost and Cost-effectiveness of Large-scale Screening for Type 1 Diabetes in Colorado.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the costs and project the potential lifetime cost-effectiveness of the ongoing Autoimmunity Screening for Kids (ASK) program, a large-scale, presymptomatic type 1 diabetes screening program for children and adolescents in the metropolitan Denver region. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We report the resource utilization, costs, and effectiveness measures from the ongoing ASK program compared with usual care (i.e., no screening). Additionally, we report a practical screening scenario by including utilization and costs relevant to routine screening in clinical practice. Finally, we project the potential cost-effectiveness of ASK and routine screening by identifying clinical benchmarks (i.e., diabetic ketoacidosis [DKA] events avoided, HbA1c improvements vs. no screening) needed to meet value thresholds of $50,000-$150,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained over a lifetime horizon. RESULTS: Cost per case detected was $4,700 for ASK screening and $14,000 for routine screening. To achieve value thresholds of $50,000-$150,000 per QALY gained, screening costs would need to be offset by cost savings through 20% reductions in DKA events at diagnosis in addition to 0.1% (1.1 mmol/mol) improvements in HbA1c over a lifetime compared with no screening for patients who develop type 1 diabetes. Value thresholds were not met from avoiding DKA events alone in either scenario. CONCLUSIONS: Presymptomatic type 1 diabetes screening may be cost-effective in areas with a high prevalence of DKA and an infrastructure facilitating screening and monitoring if the benefits of avoiding DKA events and improved HbA1c persist over long-run time horizons. As more data are collected from ASK, the model will be updated with direct evidence on screening effects.

Costs and outcomes of "intermediate" vs "minimal" care for youth-onset type 1 diabetes in six countries.

OBJECTIVE: Data are needed to demonstrate that providing an "intermediate" level of type 1 diabetes (T1D) care is cost-effective compared to "minimal" care in less-resourced countries. We studied these care scenarios in six countries. METHODS: We modeled the complications/costs/mortality/healthy life years (HLYs) associated with "intermediate" care including two blood glucose tests/day (mean HbA1c 9.0% [75 mmol/mol]) in three lower-gross domestic product (GDP) countries (Mali, Tanzania, Pakistan), or three tests/day (mean HbA1c 8.5% [69 mmol/mol]) in three higher-GDP countries (Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan); and compared findings to "minimal" care (mean HbA1c 12.5% [113 mmol/mol]). A discrete time Markov illness-death model with age and calendar-year-dependent transition probabilities was developed, with inputs of 30 years of complications and Standardized Mortality Rate data from the youth cohort in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study, background mortality, and costs determined from international and local prices. RESULTS: Cumulative 30 years incidences of complications were much lower for "intermediate care" than "minimal care", for example, for renal failure incidence was 68.1% (HbA1c 12.5%) compared to 3.9% (9%) and 2.4% (8.5%). For Mali, Tanzania, Pakistan, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan, 30 years survival was 50.1%/52.7%/76.7%/72.5%/82.8%/89.2% for "intermediate" and 8.5%/10.1%/39.4%/25.8%/45.5%/62.1% for "minimal" care, respectively. The cost of a HLY gained as a % GDP/capita was 141.1%/110.0%/52.3%/41.8%/17.0%/15.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Marked reductions in complications rates and mortality are achievable with "intermediate" T1D care achieving mean clinic HbA1c of 8.5% to 9% (69-75 mmol/mol). This is also "very cost-effective" in four of six countries according to the WHO "Fair Choices" approach which costs HLYs gained against GDP/capita.

Providing quality care for children and adolescents with diabetes from lower-income families in Mexico.

Background The objective of this study was to determine the demographic and clinical features of youth supported by member associations of the Federación Mexicana de Diabetes and the Life for a Child Program (LFAC). Methods An analysis of 2017 Annual Clinical Data Sheets of 306 subjects from five Mexican centers was performed. Results Type 1 diabetes (T1D) was diagnosed in 292 subjects; 54.6% were female, with six diagnosed aged <6 months (genetic tests not yet conducted). Type 2 diabetes (T2D) or other types were diagnosed in 11 and three subjects, respectively. T1D diagnosis age ranged 0.0-22.6 years with a peak at 8 years. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) diabetes duration was 5.3 ± 3.5 years (range 0.0-21.0 years), with a mean ± SD subject age at check-up of 13.3 ± 4.3 years. Of the T1D subjects, 1.0%, 6.7%, 13.7% and 78.6% were receiving 1, 2, 3 and ≥4 insulin injections/day with a mean ± SD daily dose of 0.92 ± 0.34 U/kg. The median number of blood glucose tests/week was 40. The mean/median hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels for those with duration ≥6 months were 8.7/8.4% (72/68 mmol/mol) and were higher in adolescents vs. children. Elevated body mass index SD, triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (≥130 mg/dL) were common: 7.6%, 11.0% and 12.7% (n = 288, 218 and 180, respectively). Serum creatinine levels were normal in all tested subjects (n = 194). Conclusions Youth with diabetes in less-resourced families in Mexico are achieving reasonable glycemia. Most T1D patients use a basal bolus insulin regimen and test blood glucose several times daily. Some subjects have adverse vascular risk factor profiles. Further attention is needed to prevent chronic complications. Monogenic diabetes is very likely in some youth, and genetic testing is indicated.

Budget Impact of Long-Acting Insulin Analogues: The Case in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Long-acting insulin analogues for type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment have been available on the Brazilian market since 2002. However, the population cannot access the analogues through the public health system. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incremental budget impact of long-acting insulin analogues coverage for T1D patients in the Brazilian public health system compared to NPH insulin. METHODS: We performed a budget impact analysis of a five-year period. The eligible population was projected using epidemiological data from the International Diabetes Federation estimates for patients between 0-14 and 20-79 years old. The prevalence of T1D was estimated in children, and the same proportion was applied to the 15-19-year-old group due to a gap in epidemiological information. We considered 4,944 new cases per year and a 34.61/100,000 inhabitants mortality rate. Market share for long-acting insulin analogues was assumed as 20% in the first year, reaching 40% in the fifth year. The mean daily dose was taken from clinical trials. We calculated the bargaining power of the Ministry of Health by dividing the price paid for human insulin in the last purchase by the average regulated price. We performed univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: The incremental budget impact of long-acting insulin analogues was US$ 28.6 million in the first year, and reached US$ 58.7 million in the fifth year. The total incremental budget impact was US$ 217.9 million over the five-year period. The sensitivity analysis showed that the percentage of T1D among diabetic adults and the insulin analogue price were the main factors that affected the budget impact. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of the first year of long-acting insulin analogue coverage would correspond to 0.03% of total public health expenditure. The main advantage of this study is that it identifies potential bargaining power because it features more realistic profiles of resource usage, once centralized purchasing is established as an economically sustainable strategy. Clinical guidelines restricting the use of insulin analogues would make the decision towards insulin analogue coverage more affordable.

Clinical and economic benefits of integrated pump/CGM technology therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes in Colombia. / Beneficios clínicos y económicos de la terapia con bomba de insulina integrada a sistema de monitoreo continuo de glucosa en los pacientes diabéticos tipo 1 en Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term clinical and economic impact of integrated pump/CGM technology therapy as compared to multiple daily injections (MDI), for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Colombia. METHODS: The CORE Diabetes Model was used to simulate a hypothetical cohort of patients with T1D. Mean baseline characteristics were taken from a clinical study conducted in Colombia and a healthcare payer perspective was adopted, with a 5% annual discount rate applied to both costs and outcomes. RESULTS: The integrated pump/CGM improved mean life expectancy by 3.51 years compared with MDI. A similar increase occurred in mean quality-adjusted life expectancy with an additional 3.81 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Onset of diabetes-related complications was also delayed as compared to MDI, and mean survival time free of complication increased by 1.74 years with integrated pump/CGM. Although this increased treatment costs of diabetes as compared to MDI, savings were achieved thanks to reduced expenditure on diabetes-related complications. The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for SAP was Colombian Pesos (COP) 44,893,950 (approximately USD$23,200) per QALY gained. CONCLUSIONS: Improved blood glucose control associated to integrated pump/CGM results in a decreased incidence of diabetes-related complications and improves life expectancy as compared to MDI. Using recommended thresholds from the World Health Organization and previous coverage decisions about health technologies in Colombia, it is a cost-effective alternative to MDI for the treatment of type 1 diabetes in Colombia.

Health Care Utilization and Costs of Publicly-Insured Children with Diabetes in California.

OBJECTIVE: To examine diabetes-related health care utilization and costs for a population-based sample of children with presumed type 1 diabetes (T1D) enrolled in the California Children's Services program. STUDY DESIGN: Our data source was the California Children's Services claims data for the period July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2012. We studied a sample of 652 children aged 0-21 years who were continuously enrolled for at least 365 days, had an outpatient visit for T1D, and were taking insulin. RESULTS: Compared with the younger age groups, individuals in the 19-21 year age group had the highest rates of hospitalization, T1D-specific bed-days, and emergency department visits. The overall median cost for this population was $7654. The overall median costs per year (and proportion of total costs) were $5603 (59%) for hospitalizations, $58 (0.4%) for emergency department visits, $144 (1.3%) for outpatient utilization, $2930 (23%) for insulin, and $1579 (13%) for blood glucose monitoring supplies. For those who used them, the median cost of pumps was an additional $2162. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to provide more insight into patterns of care and adverse health outcomes for children with T1D as they transition into young adulthood. The costs of insulin, glucose monitoring supplies, and pump therapy for children with T1D is substantial and may factor into future policy considerations regarding coverage and cost-sharing with families.

A review of the mental health issues of diabetes conference.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk for depression, anxiety disorder, and eating disorder diagnoses. People with type 1 diabetes are also at risk for subclinical levels of diabetes distress and anxiety. These mental/behavioral health comorbidities of diabetes are associated with poor adherence to treatment and poor glycemic control, thus increasing the risk for serious short- and long-term physical complications, which can result in blindness, amputations, stroke, cognitive decline, decreased quality of life, as well as premature death. When mental health comorbidities of diabetes are not diagnosed and treated, the financial cost to society and health care systems is catastrophic, and the human suffering that results is profound. This review summarizes state-of-the-art presentations and working group scholarly reports from the Mental Health Issues of Diabetes Conference (7-8 October 2013, Philadelphia, PA), which included stakeholders from the National Institutes of Health, people living with type 1 diabetes and their families, diabetes consumer advocacy groups, the insurance industry, as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, and nurse practitioners who are all nationally and internationally recognized experts in type 1 diabetes research and care. At this landmark conference current evidence for the incidence and the consequences of mental health problems in type 1 diabetes was presented, supporting the integration of mental health screening and mental health care into routine diabetes medical care. Future research directions were recommended to establish the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of paradigms of diabetes care in which physical and mental health care are both priorities.

Insulin glargine in a Brazilian state: should the government disinvest? An assessment based on a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The costs of the insulin analogue (insulin glargine) have been growing appreciably in the State of Minas Gerais in Brazil, averaging 291% per year in recent years. This growth has been driven by an increasing number of successful law suits and a 536% price difference between insulin glargine and neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin. One potential way to address this is to undertake a systematic review assessing the efficacy and safety of insulin glargine analogue compared with NPH insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and, as a result, provide published data to support future recommended activities by the State of Minas Gerais. These could include maintaining it on the list of the Public Health System (SUS) provided there is a price reduction. Alternatively, the review could provide potential arguments to defend against future law suits should the authorities decide to delist insulin glargine. METHODS: A systematic review of published studies researching the effectiveness of insulin glargine in patients with T1DM between January 1970 and July 2009 in MEDLINE (PubMed), the Latin American and Caribbean Centre on Health Sciences Information, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Databases and the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Inclusion criteria included insulin glargine on its own or combined with other insulin formulations. Only randomised controlled clinical trials were included. Initially, the titles of all studies were assessed by two independent reviewers before being potentially discarded, with the quality of papers assessed using a modified Jadad scale. The outcome measures included blood levels of glycated haemoglobin, episodes of hypoglycaemia, adverse effects and the reduction of microvascular and macrovascular end-organ complications of T1DM. RESULTS: Out of 803 studies found in the selected databases, only eight trials met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were of poor methodological quality or had a high risk of bias, with a mean score of 2.125 on the Jadad scale. No study could be classified as double-blind, and only one study documented the increased efficacy of insulin glargine in relation to both glycaemic control and hypoglycaemic episodes. Typically, there was no significant difference between insulin glargine and NPH insulins. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review showed no therapeutic benefit of insulin glargine over other insulin formulations studied when analysing together glycaemic control and the frequency and severity of hypoglycaemia. We therefore recommend to the State Authority to delist insulin glargine or renegotiate a price reduction with the manufacturer. This systematic review provides support for this decision as well as documentation to combat potential law suits if discussions are unsatisfactory.

The cost of type 1 diabetes: a nationwide multicentre study in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the direct medical costs of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) to the National Brazilian Health-Care System (NBHCS) and quantify the contribution of each individual component to the total cost. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional, nationwide multicentre study was conducted between 2008 and 2010 in 28 public clinics in 20 Brazilian cities. The study included 3180 patients with T1DM (mean age 22 years ± 11.8) who were surveyed while receiving health care from the NBHCS. The mean duration of their diabetes was 10.3 years (± 8.0). The costs of tests and medical procedures, insulin pumps, and supplies for administration, and supplies for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) were obtained from national and local health system sources for 2010-2011. Annual direct medical costs were derived by adding the costs of medications, supplies, tests, medical consultations, procedures and hospitalizations over the year preceding the interview. FINDINGS: The average annual direct medical cost per capita was 1319.15 United States dollars (US$). Treatment-related expenditure - US$ 1216.33 per patient per year - represented 92.20% of total direct medical costs. Insulin administration supplies and SMBG (US$ 696.78 per patient per year) accounted for 52.82% of these total costs. Together, medical procedures and haemodialysis accounted for 5.73% (US$ 75.64 per patient per year) of direct medical costs. Consultations accounted for 1.94% of direct medical costs (US$ 25.62 per patient per year). CONCLUSION: Health technologies accounted for most direct medical costs of T1DM. These data can serve to reassess the distribution of resources for managing T1DM in Brazil's public health-care system.

State-to-state variability in Title V coverage for children with diabetes.

Title V programs are federally supported safety nets for children with chronic diseases. However, using the example of children with diabetes mellitus, Title V program eligibility and scope of coverage vary by state and may result in health coverage gaps for high-risk patients.

Economic status and clinical care in young type 1 diabetes patients: a nationwide multicenter study in Brazil.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of economic status on clinical care provided to Brazilian youths with type 1 diabetes in daily practice, according to the American Diabetes Association's guidelines. This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted between 2008 and 2010 in 28 public clinics in Brazil. Data were obtained from 1,692 patients (55.3 % female, 56.4 % Caucasian), with a mean age of 13 years (range, 1-18), a mean age at diagnosis of 7.1 ± 4 years and diabetes duration of 5 ± 3.7 years. Overall, 75 % of the patients were of a low or very low economic status. HbA1c goals were reached by 23.2 %, LDL cholesterol by 57.9 %, systolic blood pressure by 83.9 % and diastolic blood pressure by 73.9 % of the patients. In total, 20.2 % of the patients were overweight and 9.2 % were obese. Patients from very low economic status were less likely to attend tertiary care level when compared with those from low, medium and high economic status, 64.2 % versus 75.5 % versus 78.3 % and 74.0 %; p < 0.001, respectively. The rate of annual screening for retinopathy, nephropathy and for foot alterations was 66.2, 69.7 and 62.7 %, respectively. Insulin dose, age, very low economic status, daily frequency of self-blood glucose monitoring and female gender were independently associated with poor glycemic control. Screening for diabetic complications and attaining glucose, lipid and blood pressure goals present a challenge for young Brazilian type 1 diabetes patients. The low economic status of the majority of our patients may represent a barrier to reaching these goals.

Impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus on the family is reduced with the medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the medical home, care coordination, or family-centered care was associated with less impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) on families' work, finances, time, and school attendance. STUDY DESIGN: With the 2005 to 2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, we compared impact in children with T1D (n = 583) with that in children with other special health care needs (n = 39 944) and children without special health care needs (n = 4945). We modeled the associations of the medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care with family impact in T1D. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of families of children with T1D reported a major impact compared with 45% of families of children with special health care needs (P < .0001) and 17% of families of children without special health care needs (P < .0001). In families of children with T1D, 35% reported restricting work, 38% reported financial impact, 41% reported medical expenses >$1000/year, 24% reported spending ≥11 hours/week caring or coordination care, and 20% reported ≥11 school absences/year. The medical home, care coordination, and family-centered care were associated with less work and financial impact. CONCLUSIONS: In childhood T1D, most families experience major impact. Better systems of health care delivery may help families reduce some of this impact.

Prevalance and associations of food insecurity in children with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of food insecurity in households with a child with insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus (DM), investigate whether food insecurity is associated with poorer DM control, and describe the household characteristics and coping strategies of food-insecure families with a child with DM. STUDY DESIGN: Telephone interviews were conducted with consecutive consenting families over a 16-month period. Food insecurity was assessed through a validated questionnaire; additional questions elicited demographic information and DM management strategies. Charts were reviewed for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 183 families were interviewed. Food insecurity was present in 21.9% (95% confidence interval, 15.87%-27.85%), significantly higher than the overall prevalences in Nova Scotia (14.6%) and Canada (9.2%). Food insecurity was associated with higher HbA1c level; however, in multivariate analysis, only child's age and parents' education were independent predictors of HbA1c. Children from food-insecure families had higher rates of hospitalization, for which food security status was the only independent predictor. Common characteristics and coping strategies of food-insecure families were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity was more common in families with a child with DM, and the presence of food insecurity was predictive of the child's hospitalization. Risk factors identified in this study should be used to screen for this problem in families with a child with DM.

Economic family burden of metabolic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

AIM: To appraise the economic burden for families of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatria in Mexico City. PATIENTS AND METHODS: DM1 family direct costs were obtained from a standardized economic survey in 59 children with no chronic severe complications such as kidney failure in 2002-3. RESULTS: Mean family annual direct cost of treatment and monitoring was US $1689.87 which includes government funding given to both outpatients and inpatients. Despite this, DM1 out-of-pocket cost for families is very high compared to the minimum official wage of approximately $4.00 dollar/day versus $4.06 cost DM1/day. No correlation between parents' age, education or socio-economic level and direct cost was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The highest economic burden was due to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) 53.0% and insulin 14.8%. The costs were higher in children with poor metabolic control who performed SMBG less often.

Insulin pump therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To review the current experience with insulin pump therapy in children and adolescents in order to guide pediatricians regarding indications and complications. SOURCES OF DATA: Systematic review of articles published in the literature referring to the use of insulin pump therapy, indications, complications and response to treatment. All articles published between 1995 and 2005 and appearing in the MEDLINE and LILACS databases were reviewed. The keywords were: insulin pump, type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetes mellitus. The articles covering the subject of interest and referring to children and adolescents were selected. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: Insulin pump therapy is not required for all patients with type 1 diabetes, since intensive treatments produce very similar results in terms of glycated hemoglobin and control of complications over the medium and long terms. However, the pump allows for greater comfort for patients, with less rigid meal schedules and better quality of life. The first requirement for patients intending to use the pump is getting used to having a device attached to the body and following strict glucose control; otherwise, pump therapy is not advantageous. Complications are rare due to the technologies currently available. The cost, however, is greater than with conventional treatments. CONCLUSION: The development of infusion pumps and glucose monitors, including continuous monitoring systems, will lead to "intelligent pumps," so that a true "artificial pancreas" will be available, which can even be implanted in the patient, allowing non-diabetic persons to lead a normal life.

Insulin pump therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus

OBJETIVO: Rever a experiência com a utilização da bomba de infusão de insulina em crianças e adolescentes, a fim de orientar o pediatra quanto às suas indicações e complicações. FONTE DOS DADOS : Foi realizada revisão sistemática de artigos publicados em literatura que abordassem a utilização da bomba de infusão de insulina, suas indicações, complicações e resposta ao tratamento. Dessa forma, todos os artigos publicados entre 1995 e 2005 foram resgatados através do levantamento em banco de dados MEDLINE e LILACS. As palavras-chave utilizadas foram: insulin pumps, type 1 diabetes mellitus e diabetes mellitus. Foram separados os artigos que, além disso, versassem sobre o assunto na faixa etária descrita SíNTESE DOS DADOS: O uso da bomba de infusão de insulina em pacientes com diabetes melito tipo 1 não é uma necessidade para todos os pacientes, visto que, com tratamentos intensivos, os resultados conseguidos são muito parecidos, em termos de hemoglobina glicada e de controle de complicações a médio e longo prazo. No entanto, a bomba permite um maior conforto ao paciente, no sentido de que ele não precisa ficar tão restrito a horários rígidos de refeição e pode levar uma vida com melhor qualidade. Um primeiro requisito para quem pretenda usar a bomba é adaptar-se a aparelhos conectados ao corpo e a ter uma rotina de monitorização glicêmica rigorosa, pois, sem isso, as vantagens da bomba serão anuladas. As complicações, com os avanços tecnológicos de que dispomos atualmente, são muito infreqüentes. O custo, no entanto, é maior que nos tratamentos convencionais. CONCLUSÃO: Com a evolução das bombas de infusão e dos monitores de glicemia, incluindo sistemas de monitorização contínua, abre-se caminho para as "bombas inteligentes", e estaremos com um verdadeiro "pâncreas artificial", que pode mesmo ser implantado no paciente, permitindo uma vida com todas as regalias de uma pessoa não diabética.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current experience with insulin pump therapy in children and adolescents in order to guide pediatricians regarding indications and complications. SOURCES OF DATA : Systematic review of articles published in the literature referring to the use of insulin pump therapy, indications, complications and response to treatment. All articles published between 1995 and 2005 and appearing in the MEDLINE and LILACS databases were reviewed. The keywords were: insulin pump, type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetes mellitus. The articles covering the subject of interest and referring to children and adolescents were selected. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS : Insulin pump therapy is not required for all patients with type 1 diabetes, since intensive treatments produce very similar results in terms of glycated hemoglobin and control of complications over the medium and long terms. However, the pump allows for greater comfort for patients, with less rigid meal schedules and better quality of life. The first requirement for patients intending to use the pump is getting used to having a device attached to the body and following strict glucose control; otherwise, pump therapy is not advantageous. Complications are rare due to the technologies currently available. The cost, however, is greater than with conventional treatments. CONCLUSION: The development of infusion pumps and glucose monitors, including continuous monitoring systems, will lead to "intelligent pumps," so that a true "artificial pancreas" will be available, which can even be implanted in the patient, allowing non-diabetic persons to lead a normal life.

[Brazilian Diabetes Society consensus statement--intensive insulin therapy and insulin pump therapy]. / Posição de consenso da Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes--insulinoterapia intensiva e terapêutica com bombas de insulina.

This article reports the Brazilian Diabetes Society consensus statement on intensive insulin therapy and insulin pump therapy, arrived at during an update symposium held in 2003 for this specific purpose. The concepts underlying these modalities of diabetes treatment are outlined, their fundaments are given, and practical issues about their indications, feasibility, limits, techniques and cost-benefit relationships are analyzed. The techniques comprise the suggested self-monitoring schedules and the insulin doses, types, forms of administration and correction factors used in each modality of intensive treatment, for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. The roles of SBD in the implementation of these treatments and of the different professionals involved are discussed and commented. The conclusions are based on consensual answers to some orienting questions formulated during the symposium's presentation.

Posição de consenso da Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes: insulinoterapia intensiva e terapêutica com bombas de insulina / Brazilian Diabetes Society consensus statement: intensive insulin therapy and insulin pump therapy

Este artigo relata a posição de consenso da Sociedade Brasileira de Diabetes sobre a insulinoterapia intensiva e a terapêutica com bombas de infusão de insulina, obtida durante simpósio de atualização realizado especificamente para esta finalidade, em 2003. Estas modalidades de tratamento do diabetes são aqui conceituadas, seus fundamentos são colocados, e os aspectos práticos de indicações, exeqüibilidade, limites, técnicas e relação custo-benefício são analisados. As técnicas envolvem os esquemas de auto-monitorização glicêmica sugeridos e as doses, tipos, formas de administração da insulina e fatores de cálculo utilizados em cada modalidade de tratamento intensivo, tanto no DM1 quanto no DM2. O papel da SBD na implementação dos tratamentos intensivos do diabetes e a atuação dos vários profissionais envolvidos são discutidos e comentados. Conclui-se com as respostas de consenso a questões orientadoras do tema, formuladas na apresentação do simpósio.

A simple economic evaluation model for selecting diabetes health care strategies.

The aim of this work was to develop a simple model to evaluate the health care cost of diabetes in order to help decision-makers in selecting strategies for the prevention, control, and treatment of the disease. The model assesses the cost of full coverage of health care of diabetic patients free of chronic complications and in comparison with those of the treatment of acute and chronic complications. For that purpose, standardized cost figures were obtained from both annual control and treatment of uncomplicated diabetic patients and the treatment of one episode of ketoacidosis, acute myocardial infarction, and amputation of two toes. The treatment/prevention cost ratio obtained showed that prevention of a single episode of any of these late-complication-related events would provide enough funds to cover either the total or partial annual cost of control and treatment of several uncomplicated diabetic patients. These facts would favour the allocation of funds in such a way as to allow adequate control and treatment of diabetic patients to keep them free of the chronic complications of the disease. This would be a wise investment of funds, which would result in a reduction in the socioeconomic cost of the disease and in a better quality of life for the diabetic patients and their families.