Metabolic control and educational status in children with type 1 diabetes: effects of a summer camp and intensive insulin treatment

Abstract

Our aim was to evaluate prospectively, in our diabetic patients, the impacts of a summer camp and intensive insulin treatment (IIT) on both metabolic control and disease-related educational level. Twenty-five patients participated in a 7-day-long summer camp. Before the camp, all patients were on therapy with short-acting human insulin (SAI) and intermediate-acting insulin (IAI) twice daily. On arrival, their insulin therapy regimen was changed by IIT including either SAI or rapid-acting insulin analogue (RAI) three times before meals supplemented by IAI at bedtime. Following the camp, all participants were given IIT with RAI plus IAI. Frequency of hypoglycaemia, insulin dose, body mass index (BMI) and glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were assessed at pre-camp and post-camp controls. To evaluate the effectiveness of camp-assisted education, all participants were regularly tested. We observed significant elevations in total daily dose of insulin and BMI at months 3 and 6 when compared with the pre-camp values but, by month 12, they were not significantly different from precamp values. The mean HbA(1c) level decreased significantly at months 6 and 12. Severe hypoglycaemic episodes and ketoacidosis were not detected during the camp and the following year. Significant improvements in knowledge about diabetes and self-management were determined at the end of the camp, after 6 and 12 months. Camp-assisted IIT with RAI improved metabolic control of diabetic children. Additionally, camp-assisted education has a positive effect on disease-related educational level and self-management.