Current Technologies for Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Their Impact on Quality of Life—A Narrative Review

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects millions of people and generates high healthcare costs due to frequent complications when inappropriately managed. Our paper aimed to review the latest technologies used in T1DM management for better glycemic control and their impact on daily life for people with diabetes. Continuous glucose monitoring systems provide a better understanding of daily glycemic variations for children and adults and can be easily used. These systems diminish diabetes distress and improve diabetes control by decreasing hypoglycemia. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions have proven their benefits in selected patients. There is a tendency to use more complex systems, such as hybrid closed-loop systems that can modulate insulin infusion based on glycemic readings and artificial intelligence-based algorithms. It can help people manage the burdens associated with T1DM management, such as fear of hypoglycemia, exercising, and long-term complications. The future is promising and aims to develop more complex ways of automated control of glycemic levels to diminish the distress of individuals living with diabetes.

Flash Glucose Monitoring in Croatia: The Optimal Number of Scans per Day to Achieve Good Glycemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes

“…However, in the management of T1DM, exercise represents one of the greatest challenges for optimal blood glucose maintenance, possibly requiring a higher frequency of scans before, during, and after the exercise. Given the importance and influence on glycemic stability, exercise should be implemented and considered in future studies, as it guides the development of glucose monitoring systems and carbohydrate/insulin estimation algorithms [23][24][25].…”

Cutaneous Adverse Effects from Diabetes Devices in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: a Systematic Review (Preprint)

“…Flash CGMs (fCGM) require the patient to scan their cellular device over the CGM to obtain the data [4]. For CSII devices, infusion set cannulas are inserted subcutaneously and set onto the skin with adhesives and connected via plastic tubing to the electronic device [2].…”

“…Although T1D treatment has improved significantly since the development of exogenous insulin in 1921, the acute risks of hypoglycemia and associated long-term morbidity from poor glycemic control necessitate an imminent need for more sustainable treatment. 1 T1D carries high morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life [2]. There may be associated profound psychological distress and subsequent poor adherence to treatment [3].…”

Beyond Therapeutic Adherence: Alternative Pathways for Understanding Medical Treatment in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

“…Similarly, T1DM is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the pancreas cannot produce insulin, and most patients with this diagnosis must be treated with exogenous and permanent supplies of insulin. In turn, developments in the health field have allowed the construction of various alternatives, such as the improvement of pharmacological therapies, the development of advanced therapies, the design and implementation of educational strategies, and the construction of technological devices for blood glucose monitoring [ 10 , 11 ].…”