New Target Recommended for Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

In 1993, the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial showed that for patients with type 1 diabetes, a hemoglobin A_1C target <7.0% was necessary to help prevent microvascular complications; however, the only children in this study were teenagers. Because of concern about the neurocognitive effects of episodic hypoglycemia in younger children, as well as the practicalities of managing type 1 diabetes in adolescents, A_1C targets for children were relaxed to <8.5% (age range, 0–6 years), <8% (age range, 6–12 years), and <7.5% (age range, 13–19 years).

Now, given evidence that retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy can begin as early as 5 years into a child's illness and that variable glucose control and hyperglycemia can also have effects on …