Treatment of type I diabetes with portable insulin infusion devices.

The development of portable insulin infusion devices has been a major advance in the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus. They can provide a safe and effective method for obtaining long-term normal or near-normal glycemia in well-selected patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The criteria for patient selection and indications for long-term pump treatment are outlined. The known effects of treatment with portable insulin infusion devices on the metabolic abnormalities and long-term microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus are reviewed.