Glycaemic Control in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Following a Single Telehealth Visit:What Have We Learned From the COVID-19 Lockdown?

Abstract

Aims: Children with chronic diseases were unable to receive their usual care during COVID-19 lockdown. We assessed the feasibility and impact of telehealth visits on the time-in-range (TIR) of pediatric individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: An observational multicenter real-life study. Patients scheduled for an in-clinic visit during the lockdown were offered to participate in a telehealth visit. Sociodemographic, clinical, continuous glucose monitor and pump data were recorded 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after telehealth visit. The primary endpoint was change in relative-TIR, i.e change in TIR divided by the percent of possible change (∆TIR/(100-TIRbefore)*100). Results: The study group comprised 195 individuals with T1D (47.7% males), mean±SD age 14.6±5.3 years, diabetes duration 6.0±4.6 years. Telehealth was accomplished with 121 patients and their parents (62.0%); 74 (38.0%) did not transfer complete data. Mean TIR was significantly higher for the two-week period after the telehealth visit than for the two-week period prior the visit (62.9±16.0, p<0.001 vs. 59.0±17.2); the improvement in relative-TIR was 5.7±26.1%. Initial higher mean glucose level, lower TIR, less time spent at <54 mg/dl range, longer time spent at 180–250 mg/dl range, higher daily insulin dose and single parent household were associated with improved relative-TIR. Multiple regression logistic analysis demonstrated only initial lower TIR and single-parent household were significant, odds ratio: -0.506, (95%CI -0.99,-0.023), p=0.04 and 13.82, (95%CI 0.621, 27.016), p=0.04, respectively. Conclusions: Pediatric patients with T1D benefited from a telehealth visit during COVID-19. This modality and its benefit should be employed, and used in the future as well. However, this modality is not yet suitable for a considerable proportion of patients.