High frequencies of dermatological complications in children using insulin pumps or sensors

Abstract

Background: Dermatological complications in children and adolescents that are related to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have not been well-characterized. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of different types of dermatological complications.

Methods: Online questionnaires regarding dermatological complications related to CSII and/or CGM were returned from a total of 144 children and adolescents, aged 2 to 20 years. Both previous and current skin problems were reported along with their clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the data.

Results: Of 143 patients using CSII, 90% had previous and 63% reported current dermatological complications. Non-specific eczema was most frequently reported and was currently present in 25.7% of the patients. These results were independent of age and current CGM use. Among the 76 patients using CGM, 46% reported current dermatological complications. A history of atopy was associated with dermatological complications in individuals using CSII, but not CGM. The patients rated CGM-related dermal issues as significantly worse than those associated with CSII (P < .05).

Conclusions: Dermatological complications can be a serious problem in treating pediatric and adolescent patients of all ages with CSII and/or CGM. Only a few clinical characteristics associated with these complications were identified in this study, highlighting the need for prospective studies that might lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of dermatological problems.

Keywords: blood glucose self-monitoring; dermatology; diabetes mellitus type 1; insulin infusion systems; pediatrics.