Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of using an insulin pump and multiple daily insulin injections on glycemic control and treatment satisfaction of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted at diabetic centers in Al-Madinah. The data were collected from medical records at the centers and through questionnaires filled out by patients, focusing on diagnosis, treatment approaches, and the impact of diabetes on daily activities.
Results: The study revealed notable differences in clinical outcomes and patient behaviors between TIDM patients using insulin pumps and those relying on insulin syringes. A greater proportion of insulin pump users were aged 26-36 years. Insulin pump users demonstrated significantly lower mean HBA1C (p-value = 0.039), higher adherence to daily carb calculation (p-value = 0.004) and blood sugar monitoring (p-value = 0.002), and significantly higher satisfaction with treatment plan (p-value = 0.013). Syringe injection patients showed a significantly higher percentage of accompanying chronic diseases (p-value = 0.013) and a higher impact of diabetes on their daily activities (p-value = 0.031). The use of glucose sensors was highly adopted by pump users (70.6%) compared to syringe users (54.3%).
Conclusion: The study proved the superior effect of insulin pump therapy over multiple daily syringe insulin injection for treatment of TIDM with significantly higher glycemic control, higher patient satisfaction, and greater adoption of glucose sensors. The study recommended enhanced health care efforts to support the use of insulin pumps and glucose sensors for T1DM patients.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus type I, insulin pump, injection treatment, quality of life, glucose sensor