More Evidence That the “Artificial Pancreas” Is Safe and Effective

Hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery systems continuously monitor glucose and administer algorithmically determined doses of insulin by pump; patients also can deliver insulin manually with meals. Such devices improve glycemic control and prevent some hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes, but trials to date have generally been small, short, and focused on adults.

Investigators in the U.S. and U.K. randomized 86 patients with type 1 diabetes (age, ≥6 years; 42 patients were younger than 22) with suboptimal glycemic control after at least 3 months of insulin-pump therapy (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA_1c], 7.5%–10.0%) to 12 weeks of hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery or pump therapy that was guided by continuous glucose monitoring but w…