CSII in Type 1 Diabetes: Diet, Quality of Life & Cardiometabolic Risks - A Cross-Sectional Study

Overview

Glycaemic control is an important aspect of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) management for diabetologists and patients alike. Evidence suggests continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) is an effective method of achieving this. Among the advantages of CSII is the opportunity for patients to potentially discard relatively inflexible mealtimes and carbohydrate requirements imposed by other regimes such as multiple daily injections (MDI). There are also reported improvements in quality of life. Furthermore, in patients with good glycaemic control, such as those often assisted by CSII, various qualitative atherogenic lipid abnormalities may exist, despite the presence of a normal quantitative lipid profile; potentially leading to increased cardiometabolic risks. Literature examining the eating behaviours, quality of life and cardiometabolic risks of CSII patients over time after commencement of the therapy is sparse, frequently dated and worthy of further research.

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) is a therapy for patients with Type-1 diabetes mellitus involving insulin administration via electronic pump. CSII has been shown to reduce HbA1c levels and improve blood sugar control and the continuous, unobtrusive insulin delivery may potentially allow patients increased dietary flexibility and quality of life. However, despite these claims investigatory literature is sparse. This study will clarify whether adult CSII patients experience eating behaviour and quality of life alterations compared to patients using multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy. This is important as differences may be associated with cardiometabolic risk variations; which will also be investigated. Participants will be a combination of adults with Type-1 diabetes invited from diabetes clinics at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital who are a) have been using CSII for over 1 year or b) have Type 1 diabetes but have never used CSII, have no current plans to use CSII and are presently using MDI therapy. Following ethical consent participants will be asked to complete one food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and one quality of life (QOL) questionnaire. A subgroup of these participants (approximately 10 CSII users and 10 MDI users) will then be asked to take part in one interview to investigate quality of life and complete a food diary to explore eating behaviours. All participants consenting to the cross-sectional arm of the study will also be asked to provide an extra volume of blood for analysis. This will be taken at the same time and in addition to their regular diagnostic sample, however where this is unfeasible extra occasional appointments may be needed. (Please be aware that the interview, food diary and blood sample are all optional and that the minimum requirement for participation in the study is the completion of the FFQ and the QOL questionnaires). Results will be compared with existing patient medical records, which will also be analysed during the study.