Video Visits Show Promise for Teens with Type 1 Diabetes Struggling with Blood Sugar Control

Researchers wanted to understand which type of telehealth—live video visits or asynchronous remote monitoring (where patients share data without speaking to a provider in real time)—might work better for young people with Type 1 diabetes whose blood sugar control wasn't meeting targets despite using modern technology like continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps.

The study included 65 young people aged 5–18 years with an average A1c of 9.7% at the start. Most participants (98%) were using continuous glucose monitors, and 77% were on insulin pumps—meaning they had access to advanced tools but were still struggling to reach their goals.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either monthly video visits with a diabetes provider, monthly asynchronous remote monitoring, or usual care only. The video visits averaged nearly 30 minutes, while remote monitoring check-ins averaged about 17 minutes.

By the end of the 6-month study, young people in the video visit group showed a trend toward a 1% lower A1c compared to the usual care group—a modest but clinically meaningful improvement. The asynchronous remote monitoring group did not show a significant A1c difference compared to usual care.

Video visits covered more ground than remote monitoring. Providers discussed not just insulin dose adjustments, but also diabetes behaviors, technology troubleshooting, and emotional support—topics that matter deeply to teens managing a complex chronic condition.

Both the video visit group and the remote monitoring group gave highly positive feedback about their experience. However, the study faced a significant challenge: 45% of video participants and 35% of remote monitoring participants dropped out before completion, which limited how much we can conclude from the results.

This research suggests that supplemental video appointments with a diabetes care provider—especially one-on-one, individualized visits that go beyond just adjusting insulin doses—may help young people bring down their A1c when they're already using advanced diabetes technology but still struggling.

The findings don't mean video care is a magic fix, and asynchronous remote monitoring may still be valuable for other reasons (like convenience or accessibility). But for teens with stubborn high blood sugar despite good technology access, adding regular live conversations with their care team may be worth exploring. If you're interested in whether telehealth might help, a conversation with your diabetes care team is a good starting point.

Source: Pediatric diabetes. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.