Artificial Pancreas Systems Show Strong Blood Sugar Control in Children and Teens

An artificial pancreas system automates the delivery of insulin based on continuous glucose monitoring data. Rather than relying on manual calculations and insulin injections, these systems use algorithms to adjust insulin dosing throughout the day and night, mimicking how a healthy pancreas would respond to changes in blood sugar.

There are two main types: commercial systems like Omnipod 5, which are FDA-approved and manufactured by companies, and do-it-yourself artificial pancreas (DIYAPS) systems, which are patient-built solutions that have gained popularity in recent years.

A large real-world analysis tracked 69,902 people using the Omnipod 5 system in the United States. The study, published in 2024, looked at actual usage data—not just controlled clinical trials. Researchers found that the median time in range (the percentage of time blood sugar stays between 70 and 180 mg/dL) was 68.8% for users targeting a glucose level of 110 mg/dL. Importantly, time spent below 70 mg/dL (too low) was minimal, with a median below 1.13%.

The results varied by age and glucose target. Children and adolescents (ages 2–17) targeting 110 mg/dL achieved a median time in range of 65.0%, while adults achieved 69.9%. Users with higher glucose targets (130–150 mg/dL) had lower time in range at 53.6%, which researchers say reflects more conservative settings often chosen for younger children.

Studies from Denmark and China examined open-source and do-it-yourself artificial pancreas systems. In Denmark, 31 children and adolescents (median age 12) using these systems showed significant improvement: time in range increased from 62.29% to 70.12%, and HbA1c decreased from 6.7% to 6.3% after an average of 2.37 years of use.

In China, researchers studied 41 children (average age 9.4 years) using a DIYAPS. After switching to the automated system, time in range increased from 72.4% to 80.8%, and HbA1c dropped from 6.6% to 6.3%. Fasting blood glucose also improved significantly. Time spent in severe low blood sugar (below 54 mg/dL) decreased from 16.0% to 8.8%.

These studies show that artificial pancreas systems—whether commercial or patient-built—can help children and teens achieve better blood sugar control in everyday life, not just in controlled research settings. Better time in range is associated with fewer long-term complications and can reduce the burden of managing Type 1 diabetes.

The data also suggest that these systems are effective across different age groups and settings, from large populations in the United States to smaller groups in Europe and Asia. Researchers continue to monitor how these technologies perform in real-world conditions to understand who benefits most and how to optimize their use.

Origin: National Institutes of Health (.gov) (News report). Evidence: News report, corroborated with 3 indexed studies. 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.