Extended-Wear Infusion Sets: What a New Study Shows About Longer Pump Site Wear

For people using insulin pumps, the infusion set—the small tube that delivers insulin under the skin—is a critical component. Currently, most people change their standard sets every 2 to 3 days to prevent complications and maintain steady insulin delivery. Researchers have been exploring whether longer-wear infusion sets could reduce the burden of frequent changes while keeping blood sugar control just as effective.

This pilot randomized controlled trial compared two approaches over 3 months: extended-wear infusion sets designed to last 7 days versus standard sets requiring changes every 2-3 days. Both groups used the Medtronic MiniMed 780G insulin pump system. The study included 15 adults in each group, with an average age around 36 years and an average time living with Type 1 diabetes of about 20 years. At the start, the groups were well-matched on key measures like baseline blood sugar control and glucose patterns.

The extended-wear infusion sets performed similarly to standard sets. Over the 3-month study period, researchers found no statistically significant differences between the two groups in blood sugar control (measured by HbA1c and continuous glucose monitoring data), insulin requirements, or the amount of insulin needed day-to-day.

The study also examined skin health using ultrasound imaging, looking for lipohypertrophic lesions (thickened or hardened tissue that can develop at infusion sites). There were no differences between groups in the number of these lesions or the size of the largest one, suggesting that wearing sets for 7 days did not increase this common pump complication.

An interesting finding emerged in both groups: participants reported improvements in quality-of-life measures and psychological well-being, regardless of which type of infusion set they used. This suggests that simply being part of a structured study may have contributed to overall wellness—a phenomenon sometimes observed in clinical research.

This pilot study suggests that extended-wear infusion sets may be as safe and effective as standard sets for maintaining blood sugar control and skin health over a 3-month period. If confirmed in larger studies, this could offer people with Type 1 diabetes one fewer task to manage in their daily diabetes care.

However, because this is a small pilot study with only 15 people in each group, the findings are preliminary. Larger, longer-term studies would be needed to confirm these results, explore whether benefits might emerge over extended time periods, and ensure safety across a wider range of people with Type 1 diabetes. Anyone interested in extended-wear infusion sets should discuss this technology with their healthcare team.

Source: Endokrynologia Polska. 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.