open access
An unusual use of personal insulin pump by a patient with type 1 diabetes on a ketogenic diet — a case report


- Department of Internal Medicine, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
- Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology, Prof. Stanisław Szyszko Independent Public Clinical Hospital No 1, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- Student’s Scientific Association by the Department of Internal Medicine, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
open access
Abstract
In this case report we present a 28-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus on a ketogenic diet for 5 months, using a personal insulin pump in an unusual way. The patient was admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology due to vomiting and diarrhea that had lasted for several days. On a daily basis, she used personal insulin pump for only several hours a day (a 5-hour basal rate of 0.6 units/hour of fast-acting insulin) in order to avoid dawn phenomenon, without any prandial insulin, and she used continuous glucose monitoring for 24 hours a day for glycemia control. Additionally she was taking 30 units of long acting insulin analog before sleep. The patient was unwilling to change her treatment method and she was discharged from the hospital against medical advice. Due to the increase in popularity of ketogenic diet, there is a need for large studies assessing its safety and efficacy. Moreover, our case draws attention to the fact that patients can use modern technologies, which are developed to improve the glycemic control, in unconventional ways.
Abstract
In this case report we present a 28-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus on a ketogenic diet for 5 months, using a personal insulin pump in an unusual way. The patient was admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology due to vomiting and diarrhea that had lasted for several days. On a daily basis, she used personal insulin pump for only several hours a day (a 5-hour basal rate of 0.6 units/hour of fast-acting insulin) in order to avoid dawn phenomenon, without any prandial insulin, and she used continuous glucose monitoring for 24 hours a day for glycemia control. Additionally she was taking 30 units of long acting insulin analog before sleep. The patient was unwilling to change her treatment method and she was discharged from the hospital against medical advice. Due to the increase in popularity of ketogenic diet, there is a need for large studies assessing its safety and efficacy. Moreover, our case draws attention to the fact that patients can use modern technologies, which are developed to improve the glycemic control, in unconventional ways.
Keywords
diabetes mellitus type 1; ketogenic diet; personal insulin pump; insulin; continuous glucose monitoring


Title
An unusual use of personal insulin pump by a patient with type 1 diabetes on a ketogenic diet — a case report
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
223-226
Published online
2019-09-19
Page views
872
Article views/downloads
851
DOI
10.5603/DK.2019.0017
Bibliographic record
CD 2019;8(4):223-226.
Keywords
diabetes mellitus type 1
ketogenic diet
personal insulin pump
insulin
continuous glucose monitoring
Authors
Hanna Kwiendacz
Magdalena Domek
Katarzyna Nabrdalik
Anna Maj-Podsiadło
Magdalena Marcisz
Karolina Drożdż
Janusz Gumprecht


- McKnight JA, Wild SH, Lamb MJE, et al. Glycaemic control of Type 1 diabetes in clinical practice early in the 21st century: an international comparison. Diabet Med. 2015; 32(8): 1036–1050.
- Rohlfing CL, Wiedmeyer HM, Little RR, et al. Defining the relationship between plasma glucose and HbA(1c): analysis of glucose profiles and HbA(1c) in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. Diabetes Care. 2002; 25(2): 275–278.
- Miller KM, Foster NC, Beck RW, et al. T1D Exchange Clinic Network. Current state of type 1 diabetes treatment in the U.S.: updated data from the T1D Exchange clinic registry. Diabetes Care. 2015; 38(6): 971–978.
- Pickup J, Keen H. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion at 25 years: evidence base for the expanding use of insulin pump therapy in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2002; 25(3): 593–598.
- 2. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes:Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes — 2018. Diabetes Care. 2017; 41(Supplement 1): S13–S27.
- 2019 Guidelines on the management of diabetic patients. A position of Diabetes Poland. Clin Diabetol. 2019; 8(1): 1–95. .
- Sheard NF, Clark NG, Brand-Miller JC, et al. Dietary carbohydrate (amount and type) in the prevention and management of diabetes: a statement by the american diabetes association. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27(9): 2266–2271.
- Bell KJ, King BR, Shafat A, et al. The relationship between carbohydrate and the mealtime insulin dose in type 1 diabetes. J Diabetes Complications. 2015; 29(8): 1323–1329.
- Bistrian BR. Two Types of Very Low-Carbohydrate Diets. Pediatrics. 2018; 142(2).
- Mazur A. Why were "starvation diets" promoted for diabetes in the pre-insulin period? Nutr J. 2011; 10: 23.
- Paoli A, Rubini A, Volek JS, et al. Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013; 67(8): 789–796.
- Paoli A, Bosco G, Camporesi EM, et al. Ketosis, ketogenic diet and food intake control: a complex relationship. Front Psychol. 2015; 6: 27.
- Veech RL. The therapeutic implications of ketone bodies: the effects of ketone bodies in pathological conditions: ketosis, ketogenic diet, redox states, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial metabolism. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2004; 70(3): 309–319.
- o’Connor A. How a low-carb diet might aid people with type 1 diabetes. New York Times, 2018: Maj 7, Avaiable at:https://wwwnytimescom/2018/05/07/well/live/low-carb-diet-type-1-diabeteshtml.
- Lennerz BS, Barton A, Bernstein RK, et al. Management of Type 1 Diabetes With a Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet. Pediatrics. 2018; 141(6).
- Mayer-Davis EJ, Laffel LM, Buse JB. Management of type 1 diabetes with a very low-carbohydrate diet: a word of caution. Pediatrics. 2018; 142(2).
- Farsani SF, Brodovicz K, Soleymanlou N, et al. Incidence and prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) among adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D): a systematic literature review. BMJ Open. 2017; 7(7): e016587.
- Gupta L, Khandelwal D, Kalra S, et al. Ketogenic diet in endocrine disorders: Current perspectives. J Postgrad Med. 2017; 63(4): 242–251.
- Languren G, Montiel T, Julio-Amilpas A, et al. Neuronal damage and cognitive impairment associated with hypoglycemia: An integrated view. Neurochem Int. 2013; 63(4): 331–343.
- Knight EL, Stampfer MJ, Hankinson SE, et al. The impact of protein intake on renal function decline in women with normal renal function or mild renal insufficiency. Ann Intern Med. 2003; 138(6): 460–467.
- Ko GJ, Obi Y, Tortorici AR, et al. Dietary protein intake and chronic kidney disease. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2017; 20(1): 77–85.
- von Frankenberg AD, Marina A, Song X, et al. A high-fat, high-saturated fat diet decreases insulin sensitivity without changing intra-abdominal fat in weight-stable overweight and obese adults. Eur J Nutr. 2017; 56(1): 431–443.