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Abstract
Introduction Flexible intensive therapy (FIT) emphasises in insulin administered before meals, adjusting the number of portions of carbohydrates and preprandialglycemic control. Accu - check expert (ACE) glucometer is a calculator with integrated data. It is necessary to introduce bolus insulin/carbohydrate ratio, factor sensitivity to insulin (FSI), ideal blood sugar and insulin duration adjusted by different time zones. It makes the calculation of insulin, managing in real-time the number of portions of carbohydrates and the glycemic control obtained. The patient must be trained how to change these parameters if it is required.
Aims and methods Prospective randomised intervention to determine the effectiveness of bolus calculator ACE in type 1 diabetic (D1) adolescents with FIT and values of HbA1c higher than 7%. We measure glycosylated haemoglobin at 0, 3 and 6 months.
Control group: 12 patients with D1 whose educational support involves counting portions and calculation of ratio and FSI before this intervention and at 3 months.
Case group: 12 patients with D1 who have received equal educational support as control group and specific training on bolus calculator, before baseline and at 3 months.
Results The groups are homogeneous in age, duration of diabetes and HbA1c before starting study. In both groups decreased HbA1c. There is a higher decrease in intervention group. The difference of HbA1c is significative statistically in case group at 6 months.
Conclusions After the intervention both groups showed a decrease in HbA1c at 3 and 6 months, with higher difference in case group. This difference is clinically relevant and statistically significant in the case group when it is compared from baseline to 6 months.
