Diabetes Research i
n Children Network

Current DirecNet Studies

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Navigator Continuous Glucose Sensor in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes in Children

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Continuous blood sugar monitoring could be helpful in trying to reduce the number of times the blood sugar is too high or too low.  We are conducting a study to evaluate the FreeStyle Navigator™ Continuous Glucose Monitor (Navigator) made by Abbott Diabetes Care.  The Navigator has a small sensor that is inserted just underneath the skin and is worn for up to 120 hours. The sensor is then replaced. The sensor measures the blood sugar every 60 seconds and displays the results on a wireless receiver that is the size of a pager (beeper).  The wireless receiver can be worn on a belt or carried in a pocket or purse. The sensor requires calibration values to be entered 3 times during the first 24 hours of use.  The values are entered directly into the Navigator which has a home glucose meter called the FreeStyle® built into the unit.   The Navigator is considered an investigational device because it has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

This study is being done to find out how accurate the Navigator is in children.  It is also being done to see if use of the Navigator can improve blood sugar control and help prevent low blood sugar events.  This study has three basic parts: Use of the Navigator at home for one week without being able to see the blood sugar readings; a 24-hour admission to a research unit of the hospital to find out how well the Navigator measures the blood sugar; and then 3 months' use of the Navigator at home as an aid to diabetes care.

 

To take part in the study, subjects will need to:

1.      Be less than 18 years old

2.      Have type 1 diabetes

3.      Have used an insulin pump that can be downloaded or Lantus with MDI of a short-acting insulin (e.g. Humalog or Novolog) for at least 6 months 

4.      Have a computer at home with internet and e-mail access

5.      Not have plans to move out of this area in the next 3 months

6.      Be willing to use only the Freestyle meter built into the Navigator for blood sugar testing

7.      Be willing to follow the procedures that will be described in the next section.

 

Study Procedures

1.      On the day of enrollment, a hemoglobin A1c is obtained, psychosocial questionnaires are completed, and instructions are given for use of the Navigator sensor.  The study personnel will supervise the subject or parent inserting the Navigator sensor in the clinic and will instruct the subject or parent to insert a second sensor at home in 5 days.  To obtain a baseline assessment of glycemic variability, the Navigator used during the first week will be blinded so subjects will not be able to view the data from the sensor. The subject will be instructed to complete at least four glucose measurements a day using the Freestyle meter built into the device.

2.      Subjects using insulin pump therapy will return for a 24-hour CRC admission approximately one week (7-12 days) after the enrollment visit. 

  • Areas where a Navigator sensor was worn during the first week will be assessed by study personnel for any skin irritation.
  • Subjects will continue using the blinded Navigator sensor last inserted at home and a second new sensor will be inserted by the subject or parent with supervision by study personnel. 
  • An intravenous catheter will be inserted for reference glucose measurements, which will be drawn every 30 minutes during the admission to send to a central laboratory to assess accuracy of the Navigator. 
  • The accuracy of subject/parent blood glucose testing using the Freestyle HGM will be compared with the testing performed by trained study personnel using the same meter.
  • The accuracy of the subject’s HGM being used at home may be tested.
  • The accuracy of other commercially-available home glucose meters may also be examined.  There will be no additional blood requirements to perform this testing.
  • For subjects >7 years old, an exercise session of moderate intensity will be completed in the afternoon.   This will allow for assessment of function of the Navigator during exercise and assessment of the accuracy of detecting changes in blood glucose.
  • For subjects of sufficient weight to accommodate the volume of blood required, blood glucose measurements will be made every 10 minutes for one hour after breakfast.  This will allow for assessment of the accuracy of the Navigator in detecting change during a period of rising blood glucose.
  • The pre-admission Navigator, HGM, and pump data will be reviewed and changes will be made to diabetes management as needed.  Subjects and parents will be provided with extensive teaching to use the protocol-developed algorithms for changes to diabetes management to be used in real time based on Navigator data after the subject leaves the CRC.

3.      Subjects using Lantus with MDI therapy will return for a Baseline Visit approximately one week (7-12 days) after the enrollment visit.

  • Areas where a Navigator sensor was worn during the first week will be assessed by study personnel for any skin irritation.
  • The pre-baseline Navigator, HGM, and pump data will be reviewed and changes will be made to diabetes management as needed.  Subjects and parents will be provided with extensive teaching to use the protocol-developed algorithms for changes to diabetes management to be used in real time based on Navigator data after the subject leaves the visit.

4.      Each subject will be provided with the instructions for downloading the Navigator.

5.      A follow-up visit will be performed at 1, 3, 7, and 13 weeks after the CRC admission or Baseline Visit.  The visit windows will be +3 days at weeks 1, 3, and 7 and +1 week for week 13.

·        At each visit, the Navigator will be downloaded, diabetes management will be reviewed, and compliance with use of the algorithms will be assessed. A study investigator will review the glucose data generated by the Navigator, trends and, in conjunction with the nurse coordinator make treatment recommendations. This will continue until enough collective experience has developed for the nurse coordinator to make the insulin adjustments more autonomously.

·        At each visit, the subject’s BG will be tested on his/her Freestyle meter and a Freestyle meter at the clinic to assess the accuracy of the home meters over time.

·        At the 3, 7, and 13-week visits, a psychosocial questionnaire regarding the frequency and convenience of use of the algorithms will be administered.

·        At the 7-week visit, HbA1c will be measured

·        At the 13-week visit, HbA1c will be measured and psychosocial questionnaires will be administered. 

6.      Phone contacts will be made with the subjects after 3 days (+1 day), then at 2, 4, 8, and 10 weeks (+3 days) following the CRC admission or Baseline Visit to review their diabetes management and assess compliance with use of the algorithms.  Phone contacts will also involve collection of diet data as well as any illnesses, stressful events, and menstrual cycle data for females.

7.      At the 13-week visit, subjects who are interested in continuing to use the Navigator will continue in the study for another 13 weeks.  Subjects who are not interested will be discontinued from the study.

8.      Subjects continuing in the study will be provided with additional sensors and instructed to use them as frequently as they would like.  Subjects will also be instructed to continue using the algorithms for diabetes management.

·        At the 26-week visit, psychosocial questionnaires regarding the satisfaction with the Navigator as well as the algorithms will be administered, frequency of use of the sensors and continued compliance with use of algorithms will be assessed, and HbA1c will be measured.

·        At the 26-week visit, subjects will be given the choice to continue in the study until the device is approved by the FDA or until Abbott Diabetes Care can no longer provide supplies for the study.  Subjects who agree to continue in the study will sign an addendum to the informed consent at the 26-week visit.

o       Subjects who continue in the study will return to the clinic every 3 months for a follow-up visit.  The same procedures completed during the 26-week visit will be completed at each subsequent visit.

 

 

 

Nocturnal Hypoglycemia Prevention Ancillary Study

Low blood sugar at night (called nocturnal hypoglycemia), can often happen without symptoms and can last for a long time.  Doctors often suggest that patients take a bedtime snack to try to prevent low blood sugar at night from happening, but it is not known what type of snack is best to take.  We are conducting an ancillary study to evaluate how two different types of snacks affect how often the blood sugar is too low overnight.  One snack will be potato chips and the other will be honey wheat pretzels.  The snacks will be provided by the study.   

 

Subjects participating in the Navigator Pilot Study who have completed the 26-week visit are eligible to participate in this optional ancillary study.

 

Study Procedures

When a child enters the study, the following will be done:

 

1.      The child will be asked about his or her diabetes management including overnight basal rates, correction doses, and bolus doses to cover a bedtime snack and whether these change depending on how active the day was.

 

2.      The child will be asked to wear 3 Navigator sensors to get at least 12 nights of readings during a three week period.

 

3.      The child may be taught to use the accelerometer.  This is a device that measures the amount of movement the child has.  It is about 1.75 inches long and about 1.75 inches wide and is strapped to the skin around the waist.

 

4.      The child will be given instructions on how to use the study website to complete a questionnaire to obtain the type of bedtime snack to have.  The amount of snack and the insulin dose to cover the bedtime snack will be based on the child’s usual diabetes management.  On six of the nights the child will be asked to eat potato chips and on the other six nights, the child will be asked to eat pretzels.  The order of the snacks will be chosen at random by the computer.  If a drink is needed, the child will be asked to drink only water with the bedtime snack.  The child will also be asked to not have any caffeine after dinner each night.

 

5.      The child will be asked to do the following before returning for a clinic visit about 3 weeks later:

Ø      Wear three Navigator sensors to get a total of at least 12 nights of blood sugar readings

Ø      Enter a meal marker event into the Navigator each time he or she has a meal or snack

Ø      Enter an exercise marker event into the Navigator each time he or she exercises

Ø      Complete a short questionnaire on the study website each of the 12 nights when the Navigator is worn to find out the type of bedtime snack to have

Ø      The child may also be asked to wear an accelerometer at all times (day and night) when the Navigator is worn

 

Follow-up Visit

After using the Navigator and completing the questionnaire on the website for 12 nights, the child will return to the clinic for the follow-up visit.

 

1.      The Navigator and the accelerometer (if used) will be connected to a computer so that the data can be saved.

Ø      If the child does not have at least 12 nights with at least 5 hours of Navigator data in the monitor and a completed website questionnaire, he or she will be given additional snacks and asked to wear another sensor and to come back in another week.

2.      Once the child has at least 12 nights with at least 5 hours of Navigator data and a completed website questionnaire, the information will be reviewed with the parent and child.

 

 

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