Study examines mishandling of insulin pumps by teenagers

WASHINGTON According to a new study performed by the Food and Drug Administration from 1996 to 2005, teenagers using insulin pumps to treat Type 1 diabetes often mishandle the devices which can lead to death and other injuries, according to published reports.

Insulin pumps are the size of a cell phone and worn on a belt or pocket. They send insulin into the body through a plastic tube with a small tip that inserts under the skin and is taped in place.

The federal review of use by young people found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the pumps. In some cases, the devices malfunctioned, but other times, teens were careless or took risks, the study authors wrote. Some teens didn’t know how to use the pumps correctly, dropped them or didn’t take good care of them.

While some teenagers want to switch from insulin injections to pump therapy to gain more flexibility in their lives, doctors said device problems such as a blocked tube can lead quickly to dangerous episodes of high blood sugar.

“In a matter of a few hours, all the insulin in the body disappears. Metabolically, the child starts to spiral out of control,” said John Buse, the American Diabetes Association’s president for medicine and science.

“The FDA takes pediatric deaths seriously,” said the agency’s Judith Cope, lead author of the analysis. “Parental oversight and involvement are important. Certainly, teenagers don’t always consider the consequences.”

Type 1 diabetes affects an estimated 12 million to 24 million people worldwide and occurs when the body attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.