While the majority of people with type 2 diabetes can be treated with oral drugs to improve their response to the insulin they produce, many go on to require extra insulin.

Because the insulin pump can be started on an outpatient basis and patients prefer this form of treatment over multiple daily shots, doctors should consider treating their patients with the device, Dr. Philip Raskin and colleagues suggest in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

Raskin, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues studied 132 patients with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to receive the pump or daily insulin shots.

After 24 weeks, both groups had achieved comparable control of their blood sugar levels. Moreover, the pump didn't raise the risk of low sugar levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia.

In general, side effects were similar with both treatments. However, patients who got shots were more likely to have episodes where blood sugar levels were too high. On the other hand, only patients in the pump group reported skin irritation where the device delivered the insulin.

Most of the pump patients preferred this newer form of treatment over multiple daily shots. In addition, overall satisfaction with treatment improved more in the pump group.

"The significantly higher satisfaction scores for convenience, ease of use, and overall satisfaction by the (pump group) suggests that they will have greater treatment acceptance than multiple daily injection-treated patients and could consequently be more compliant over time," the researchers conclude.

Source: Yahoo News: Reuters Health: Diabetes Care, September 2003.