Iranian Journal of

Background: Pump therapy (CSII) is offered as a safe and effective treatment for patients with type 1 Diabetes. We examined the efficacy and safety of continuous subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Therapy for six months as a before-after clinical trial study among type 1 diabetic patients. This is the first survey of this experience in Iranian patients.

Methods: We recruited, type 1 diabetic patients without chronic complications of diabetes (retinopathy, nephropathy and etc.) and followed them for six months as a before-after clinical study with use of the pump. The efficacy of this way was assessed with HbA₁C and fasting blood sugar measurements. Safety was estimated by frequency of clinical hypoglycemia episodes.

Results: Our patients were 7 men and 2 women aged 15 - 39 years with past history of diabetes by ranging from 0.1 to 15 years. Mean level of HbA₁C at the beginning of study and after six months follow-up were %8.6 and %7.1, respectively, with significant statistically difference between them (P= 0.02). During pump therapy the mean dose of insulin were decreased to 10 units with statistically significant difference to before investigation (P = 0.03). No case of hypoglycemia and weight loss was seen. One patient had 4 kg weight gain without any significant statistical effect.

Conclusion: It seems CSII Therapy in Iranian patients with type 1 Diabetes mellitus was effective and safe. We can not conclude about possible side effects of pump based on this study.